LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Visits Abroad

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Leader of the House how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, his staff made in each year since 2010; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip.

Andrew Lansley: Since 2010 the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons has undertaken one overseas trip to visit the European Institutions in Brussels. This took place in May 2013. The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) and I were supported by two officials and one special adviser. This visit provided an opportunity to consider and promote the role of national parliaments, including the House of Commons, in the processes of European legislation.
	A summary of staff costs for this trip is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 (a) Flights 0 
			  Eurostar 269.00 
			 (b) Internal travel 17.06 
			 (c) Hotel accommodation 750.00 
			 (d) Subsistence 12.06

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Autism

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether autism awareness training is included in the equality and diversity planning and single equality schemes of all Government Departments.

Francis Maude: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson) on 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 209W.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many people employed by the Government Equalities Office hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: DCMS and GEO employees are not required to hold a degree unless roles specifically require them. Where roles require qualifications, this is checked as part of the eligibility process before any appointment is made.

WALES

Carer's Allowance

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales receive carer’s allowance.

David Jones: According to the latest data (February 2013), the number of people receiving carer’s allowance in Wales was 39,170.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm’s length bodies are paid less than the living wage; and how many direct employees of his Department are on zero hours contracts.

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office has no direct employees. Staff at the Wales Office are subject to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) policies for pay purposes. The pay of the Department’s agency staff is determined by a Ministry of Justice contract. As there are fewer than five agency staff in London, breaking the numbers down would risk the identification of individuals. No other Wales Office staff are paid less than the living wage. No staff are employed on zero hours contracts.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor’s, (b) master’s and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office does not hold this information. The Department does not employ staff directly, and Wales Office staff are either employed by the Ministry of Justice or on loan from other Government Departments.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Stephen Crabb: None.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Finance

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which of the National Portfolio Organisations funded by Arts Council England received (a) over £50 million, (b) £30-£50 million, (c) £20-£30 million, (d) £10-£20 million, (e) £5-£10 million, (f) £1-£5 million, (g) less than £1 million in 2012-13.

Edward Vaizey: Decisions on funding for National Portfolio Organisations and how much funding is allocated to each is a matter for Arts Council England, an arm's length body of government, which makes such decisions independently of Ministers. Information on how much funding is allocated to each of the National Portfolio Organisations is publicly available on the Arts Council's website:
	http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/our-investment/investment-in-the-arts-2012-15/

Gambling: Advertising

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information her Department holds on advertising expenditure by the gambling industry (a) in total and (b) by media sector.

Helen Grant: The Department of Culture, Media and Sport holds data on the total UK gambling advertising spend and the proportion of this spent on TV advertising. In 2012, UK expenditure on gambling advertising totalled £211.2 million and, of this, £115.9 million was spent on television advertising. These figures include spending on lottery and bingo products, however further breakdown by media sector is not available.

Hyde Park

Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Royal Parks about their decision to introduce charges for people wanting to play sport on the section of Hyde Park known as the Old Football Pitches.

Helen Grant: No discussions were held with The Royal Parks about the new charging arrangements for the Old Football Pitches. Charging for organised sporting activities in the Royal Parks is an operational matter for The Royal Parks Agency.

Hyde Park

Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she was informed of the Royal Parks' intention to introduce charges for people wanting to play sport on the section of Hyde Park known as the Old Football Pitches.

Helen Grant: Charging for organised sporting activities in the Royal Parks is an operational matter for The Royal Parks Agency. Their intention to charge first came to the attention of officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in August 2013.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people employed by her Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: DCMS and GEO employees are not required to hold a degree unless roles specifically require them. Where roles require qualifications, this is checked as part of the eligibility process before any appointment is made.

Sports: Females

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many national governing bodies have been set a specific target for raising female participation in return for Sport England's 2013 to 2017 Whole Sport Plan investment.

Helen Grant: Each Sport has individual targets in their Whole Sport Plan which reflect the investment priorities required to drive up participation levels.
	Sports which are popular with women or where there is a high latent demand among women will therefore have a greater focus on women's participation to ensure they meet their overall target. Sports such as equestrianism, running and netball have high participation rates among women and receive Sport England funding to the sum of £6 million, £22 million and £25 million respectively.

Sports: Wales

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the statement of 5 November 2013, Official Report, on sporting legacy, how many of the projects listed by the Minister are operating within Wales.

Helen Grant: Community and youth sport are devolved matters and therefore the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government. The UK Sport's 'Gold Series' programme includes five major sporting events in Wales. A number of Join In events have also taken place in Wales but exact figures will not be available until project evaluation is completed later this year.

PRIME MINISTER

10 Downing Street: Security

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Prime Minister whether there were discussions of any potential security risks prior to the invitation of Councillor Abdul Aziz to attend a recent event at No. 10 Downing Street.

David Cameron: As I said in my answer on 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 247,1 shall write the hon. Member about this matter.

India

Mary Glindon: To ask the Prime Minister how many officials accompanied him to India in 2013; and what the total cost of travel, accommodation and expenses was for each individual.

David Cameron: Details of ministerial overseas travel are published quarterly and are available on the gov.uk website.

Travel

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 607W, on travel, if he will publish a list of all occasions on which he has used military transport for domestic travel since taking office.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 607W.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Lancaster

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to (a) Lancaster city council and (b) Lancaster area to construct social housing between (i) May 1997 and May 2010 and (ii) from May 2010 to date.

Kris Hopkins: There have been no allocations direct to Lancaster city council from May 1997 to date.
	£22.6 million funding was given to the Lancaster area for delivery of social housing across the 13 years between 1997-98 and 2009-10.
	£5.3 million has been allocated to the Lancaster area from the four years of 2011-15 Affordable Homes Programme for delivery of 231 new affordable homes.
	I would note that the new affordable rent model now allows for more affordable housing to be delivered with lower levels of taxpayer capital subsidy and levers in more private investment. Across England, the £4.5 billion of public investment in affordable housing over 2011-15 is being accompanied by an additional £15 billion of private investment. My hon. Friend may wish to take this into account when comparing levels of housing investment.

BAE Systems

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if his Department will offer support to Portsmouth and neighbouring authorities to help those affected by the job losses announced by BAE Systems.

Kris Hopkins: Every effort is being made, both in Government and at a local level, to help those individuals and businesses affected by the job losses announced by BAE Systems.
	A £1 million Department for Work and Pensions rapid response service will support those recently made redundant and £5 million from the regional growth fund will be used to support training for BAE staff facing redundancy.
	The Government also recently announced the Portsmouth and Southampton city deal, which will bring millions in public and private sector investment and maximise the economic strengths of these two coastal cities and the wider Solent area by supporting further growth in the area's maritime, marine and advanced manufacturing sectors.
	Over its lifetime it is predicted that the city deal will deliver:
	over 4,500 permanent new jobs particularly focused in marine, maritime and advanced manufacturing sectors;
	over 14,000 construction jobs;
	unlock 107,000 square metres of new employment floor space with a focus on supporting growth in the marine, maritime and advanced manufacturing sectors;
	provide £113 million of local and national public sector investment;
	lever in over £831 million of private sector investment into the area through site development, skills and unemployment schemes and business support services;
	create 7,500 new apprenticeships with 2,000 over the next three years;
	support 1,000 long-term unemployed over the next two years.

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation: Barking and Dagenham

Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many families with children living in bed and breakfast accommodation in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham have been so accommodated for more than six weeks;
	(2)  how many families with children are living in bed and breakfast accommodation in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham.

Kris Hopkins: According to the most recent available information from the quarterly P1E homelessness return, 66 families with children were living in bed and breakfast accommodation arranged by the London borough of Barking and Dagenham as at 30 June 2013. Of these, 23 had been accommodated in bed and breakfast accommodation for more than six weeks.
	This Government has strong protections in place to prevent families with children being placed in unsuitable accommodation for unacceptable periods of time.
	The law says that local authorities can only place families with children in bed and breakfast accommodation only as a last resort and then for no more than six weeks.
	We have provided £2 million for seven councils struggling with increasing bed and breakfast use so that they can reduce numbers and develop long lasting solutions to this problem. Barking and Dagenham will receive £300,000 of that funding. This is the first half of funding paid. Barking and Dagenham and the other six councils will be paid the second half of funding only when they achieve a 75% reduction in the numbers of families with children in bed and breakfast for over six weeks. The lessons learned will be shared with other local authorities.
	We are also investing £470 million over four years (2011-12 to 2014/15) to help local authorities and voluntary sector partners prevent and tackle homelessness, rough sleeping and repossessions.

Buildings: Security

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he has issued in relation to the security of smart buildings from cyber attacks.

Brandon Lewis: The Cabinet Office has published the Government's “UK Cyber Security Strategy” which outlines the actions being taken to strengthen information security against cyber attacks.
	The Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure has published guidance about how to protect the technology that underpins smart buildings. This is available at
	http://www.cpni.gov.uk/documents/publications/2013/2013063-resilience_cyber_security_technology_ built_environment.pdf?eps language=en-gb

Carbon Emissions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on the Government Carbon Offsetting Framework in the latest year for which figures are available.

Brandon Lewis: In 2011-12, the Department spent £461 through the fund to offset air travel.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to my answer to him of 17 October 2013, Official Report, columns 865-66W, on how we do not offset energy-related emissions, but have instead improved the energy efficiency of our own estate.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Brandon Lewis: My Department and its non-departmental public bodies have no staff earning less than the hourly living wage rate as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
	Similarly, my Department and its non-departmental public bodies have no staff employed on zero hours contracts.

Empty Property

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty properties there were in the UK in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012.

Stephen Williams: Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and in each local authority district are published in the Department’s live table 615 which is available at the following link. This table shows the annual number of empty homes in the local authority, housing association and other public sector tenures:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
	This table brings together figures on vacant dwellings in England drawn from several separately published sources.
	The figures show that the number of long-term empty homes in England has fallen by over 40,800 from October 2010 to October 2012.
	Statistics on vacant dwellings in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are published by the devolved Administrations.

Empty Property

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties which were empty in 2010 have since been purchased (a) by first-time buyers, (b) as second homes and (c) by overseas residents.

Stephen Williams: The requested information is not centrally collected.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many visits the permanent secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The following visits have been made to the European Commission by DCLG senior officials.
	(a) 2010-11
	Joe Montgomery (Director General)
	22 October 2010.
	(b)2011-12
	Sir Bob Kerslake (Permanent Secretary)
	11 March 2011.
	David Rossington (Acting Director General)
	17 February 2011
	11 March 2011
	15 July 2011.
	(c)2012-13
	Nil return.
	All of these visits were made in relation to the European Regional Development Fund. DCLG is the managing authority for the programme.

Families: Disadvantaged

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what analysis his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the difference in complexity of cases relating to the Troubled Families Programme dealt with by the local authority, private sector and the third sector.

Kris Hopkins: The Department has commissioned a three-year independent evaluation of the Troubled Families programme. The details are available here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/study-to-assess-impact-of-troubled-families-work
	This evaluation does not specifically compare case complexity by sector, but will evaluate the impact of different types of interventions and delivery models.

Fire Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) full-time firefighters and (b) fire stations there were in each of the last three years.

Brandon Lewis: To assist the hon. Member, I have listed as follows a table showing comparative data for the number of firefighters, fire stations and incidents over the last decade in England.
	They show that overall firefighter strength has reduced by 5.9%, fire stations by 1.9% while the number of incidents have almost halved (-46%).
	
		
			 As at March 31 Number of firefighters Number of fire stations Incidents attended (2001-02 to 2012-13) 
			 2002 42,374 1,449 990,793 
			 2003 42,415 1,448 958,142 
			 2004 42,679 1,447 1,016,028 
			 2005 42,151 1,448 861,384 
			 2006 41,917 1,440 843,734 
			 2007 42,404 1,455 854,371 
			 2008 42,353 1,452 791,747 
			 2009 41,955 1,453 717,805 
			 2010 41,634 1,439 680,592 
			 2011 41,171 1,435 647,244 
			 2012 39,869 1,422 606,704 
			 2013 — — 519,907 
			 Note: Figures include wholetime and retained firefighters, and are full-time equivalent numbers. Source: DCLG operational statistics and CIPFA. Statistics on 2013 staffing/stations will be published in due course.

Fire Services: Equipment

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to standardise the specification of ladders used by fire and rescue services in England.

Brandon Lewis: There are existing British, European and International standards which ensure that fire equipment is fit for purpose. Except for national resilience purposes, it is a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities to determine the equipment needed to meet their operational requirements.

Fracking

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to require environmental impact assessments for fracking in the UK.

Nicholas Boles: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 May 2013, Official Report, columns 425-26W. Applications for new fracking sites in England, whether for exploratory drilling or full production, are already within the scope of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011. Whether an environmental impact assessment is required will depend on the circumstance of each application.

Housing: Construction

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties on brownfield sites have extant planning permission for housing.

Nicholas Boles: This information is not centrally held.
	On the broader issue of land with planning permission, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 345-347W.

Housing: Construction

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of new houses built in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012 were built on brownfield sites.

Kris Hopkins: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 November 2013, Official Report, column 584W.

Local Government: Redundancy Pay

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authority employees who have received a contractual redundancy payment have subsequently been employed by (a) the same local authority or (b) a different local authority within 12 months in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 8 November 2013
	This information is not centrally held.
	Ministers have been extremely clear that payments for ‘boomerang bosses', as well as the practice of ‘double dipping', are an unacceptable use of taxpayers' money, especially when councils need to be making sensible savings to help pay off the deficit left by the last Administration.
	This Government has taken steps to increase local transparency and local accountability on the remuneration of council staff. This has included explicit guidance on the re-employment of senior staff who have previously been in receipt of a redundancy or severance payment, or who are in receipt of a local government/fire service pension. This is covered in the Secretary of State's guidance on councils' local pay policy statements under the Localism Act. Councillors now have powers to stop such payments: they should use them.

Local Plans

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities are reviewing their local plans or draft local plans due to problems with site viability and deliverability.

Nicholas Boles: holding answer 12 November 2013
	As planning is primarily a local matter, the Government does not hold information centrally on which local plans are being prepared or reviewed in light of problems with the viability or deliverability of specific sites.
	National policy is clear on the importance of considering viability and deliverability in plan-making, underpinned by proportionate evidence, and on updating local plans regularly in response to changing circumstances. Where a local plan is out of date, which could include where questions arise over its deliverability or viability, the presumption in favour of sustainable development will apply.
	The Government is supporting local planning authorities in their plan-making work by providing concise, accessible and practical advice in planning guidance (currently in beta mode) and through a programme of tailored support in conjunction with the Planning Inspectorate and Planning Advisory Service.

Local Plans: Solihull

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce a decision on Solihull Metropolitan borough council's local plan.

Nicholas Boles: holding answer 11 November 2013
	The Planning Inspectorate hope to be in a position to issue the final report into the Solihull metropolitan borough council local plan in December 2013.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department.

Brandon Lewis: As I outlined in my answer of 8 October 2013, Official Report, column 138W, ministerial private offices are a key link in handling ministerial correspondence, organising ministerial diaries, conveying Ministers' views to officials, overseeing the compilation of ministerial boxes, handling communications with other Government Departments, and providing Ministers with general information related to the work of the Department.
	Three members of staff, employed to provide administrative support to Ministers, are based within the special advisers' office; they are below senior civil service grades.
	Although assigned to the special advisers' office, they provide private office support to all Ministers. They give administrative assistance of a non-political nature, in line with the Civil Service Management Code and Special Advisers' Code of Conduct. This has been the practice under successive governments, and the number of staff is the same as was the case under the last Administration in April 2010.

Non-domestic Rates

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of businesses which have claimed the increased small business rate relief in (a) Dorset and (b) England since its inception.

Brandon Lewis: Details of the number of businesses in Dorset (including the unitary authorities of Bournemouth and Poole) that were benefitting from the small business rate relief scheme as at 31 December 2010 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of businesses paying the lower multiplier and receiving a discount Number of businesses paying the lower multiplier and not receiving a discount Total number of businesses benefiting from the scheme as at 31 December 2010 
			 Dorset 11,438 824 12,262 
			 Of which:    
			 Bournemouth 3,074 192 3,266 
			 Christchurch 611 60 671 
			 East Dorset 901 119 1,020 
			 North Dorset 741 48 789 
			 Poole 2,065 138 2,203 
			 Purbeck 1,001 34 1,035 
			 West Dorset 1,957 167 2,124 
			 Weymouth and Portland 1,088 66 1,154 
			 Total England 459,934 49,918 509,852 
		
	
	Data as at 31 December 2012 were collected earlier this year and are currently being validated and will be published shortly.
	Due to the temporary extension of small business rate relief until April 2014, we estimate that approximately half a million businesses in England are benefiting, with approximately a third of a million paying no rates at all. The Localism Act 2011 has also made it easier for eligible small firms to claim their small business rate relief.

Non-domestic Rates

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of businesses which have claimed the increased small business rate relief in (a) Portsmouth South constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England since its inception.

Brandon Lewis: Details of the number of businesses in Hampshire (including the unitary authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton) and England as a whole that were benefiting from the small business rate relief scheme as at 31 December 2010 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of businesses paying the lower multiplier and receiving a discount Number of businesses paying the lower multiplier and not receiving a discount Total number of businesses benefiting from the scheme as at 31 December 2010 
			 Hampshire 13,028 1,795 14,823 
			 of which    
			 Basingstoke and Deane 688 134 822 
			 East Hampshire 1,126 178 1,304 
			 Eastleigh 677 135 812 
			 Fareham 796 91 887 
			 Gosport 530 66 596 
			 Hart 472 118 590 
			 Havant 1,109 95 1,204 
			 New Forest 2,428 235 2,663 
			 Portsmouth UA 1,430 150 1,580 
			 Rushmoor 482 81 563 
			 Southampton UA 1,444 263 1,707 
			 Test Valley 952 135 1,087 
		
	
	
		
			 Winchester 894 114 1,008 
			     
			 Total England 459,934 49,918 509,852 
		
	
	Data as at 31 December 2012 were collected earlier this year and are currently being validated and will be published shortly. Data are collected at billing authority level; we do not collect data at constituency level.
	Due to the temporary extension of small business rate relief until April 2014, we estimate that approximately half a million businesses in England are benefiting, with approximately a third of a million paying no rates at all. The Localism Act 2011 has also made it easier for eligible small firms to claim their small business rate relief.

Non-domestic Rates: Public Houses

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many public houses receive small business rate relief; and what the average value is of such rate relief to public house businesses.

Brandon Lewis: This information is not held centrally.
	While the Valuation Office Agency holds information on the rateable value of individual hereditaments, bills and rate relief are administered by local billing authorities.

Non-domestic Rates: Public Houses

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effects on the public house sector in England and Wales arising from the ending of small business rate relief scheduled for April 2014.

Brandon Lewis: Business rates, like all taxes, are kept under review. Small business rates relief will be considered at the autumn statement 2013. Business rates in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Planning Permission

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that developers abide by planning conditions.

Nicholas Boles: Monitoring of compliance with conditions attached to planning permissions is a matter for the local planning authority. Local planning authorities adopt various strategies to do this, including, for example, asking developers to notify them of the start of works, so that pre-commencement conditions can be checked. If a developer fails to comply with a condition, the local planning authority may serve a breach of condition notice requiring compliance. If a breach of condition notice is not complied with, the person responsible for the breach can be prosecuted in the magistrates court where the penalty is a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction.

Planning Permission: Rushden Lakes

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which Minister will make the decision on Rushden Lakes planning application following the inspector's inquiry; and when this decision will be (a) made and (b) announced.

Nicholas Boles: All decisions on planning cases are taken on behalf the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The published date on which this decision is due to be made is on or before 13 February 2014.

Procurement

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has (a) entered into a procurement arrangement with any other Government Department and (b) used any such procurement agreement to bulk purchase goods since May 2010.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 5 November 2013
	The Department uses the centrally negotiated framework agreements operated by the Government Procurement Service to purchase common goods and services where typically Whitehall and other public bodies volumes have been leveraged to deliver value for money for taxpayers. However our goods and services (except for energy) are not ordered in bulk with other Departments but they are purchased as and when we require them.
	On energy, we now purchase this through Government Procurement Service frameworks which are typically for five year periods, and following extensive market competition and EU wide tender processes. The bulk of central Government energy is aggregated under Government Procurement Service frameworks, which enables the Government Procurement Service Energy Team to actively engage directly with the energy markets to achieve best value and price for the taxpayer.
	Also set out here is a list of the Government Procurement Framework Agreements
	that the Department participate in:
	
		
			 Category Framework reference GPS framework description 
			 Communications RM1704 Media Buying Framework 
			 Communications RM1726 Press Cuttings 
			 E-Commerce RM537 Payment Card Solutions and Associated Services 
			 Energy RM896 Daily Metered and Non-Metered Natural Gas and Service 
			 Energy RM727 Government Carbon Offsetting 
			 Energy RM550 (Non Half Hourly) Electricity 
			 Energy RM864 Supply of Electricity Goods, Works and Services 
			 Fleet RM807 Vehicle Hire Services 
			 Hardware RM721 Commoditised IT Hardware and Software 
		
	
	
		
			 Network Services RM978 British Telecom—Accumulate line rental 
			 Network Services RM977 British Telecom—Citizen Contact—inbound calls 
			 Network Services RM976 British Telecom—Premier Value—voice calls 
			 Network Services RM828 Govt Secure Intranet Convergence Framework 
			 Network Services RM526 Mobile Solutions (II) 
			 Network Services RM1498 Public Service Network 
			 Network Services A217837 Specialist Solutions 
			 Office Solutions RM966 Document Storage—Spend Under Management 
			 Office Solutions RM450 Photocopiers and Multi-Functional Products and Services 
			 Office Solutions RM1040 Residual Central Government Multi-Functional Device Spend 
			 Office Solutions (HMRC) RM917 Government Office Supplies Framework 
			 Office Solutions (HMRC) RM990 Postal Services—Royal Mail Initiative 
			 Office Solutions (HMRC) RM921 Print Vendor Partner Framework (HMRC) 
			 Professional Services—Consultancy and Contingent Labour CIPHER CIPHER Managed Service Provision (Interims and Specialist contractors) 
			 Professional Services—Consultancy and Contingent Labour RM958 Insurance Services Framework Agreement 
			 Professional Services—Consultancy and Contingent Labour A217840 Interim Managers 
			 Professional Services—Consultancy and Contingent Labour RM692 Non Permanent Staff 
			 Professional Services—Consultancy, and Contingent Labour 06/GEN/SS/1030 Temporary Clerical Admin Services 
			 Professional Services—Health and Business Services RM1568 Civil Service Learning 
			 Professional Services—Health and Business Services RM373 and RM919 Legal Services 
			 Professional Services—Health and Business Services CMAAC095124 Non Medical Non Clinical Resources 
			 Property Solutions RM457 Project Management and Full Design Team Services 
			 Property Solutions RM397 RM397 Estates Professional Services 
			 Services RM1557 ii and iii Government Cloud Computing Services—versions II and III (G-Cloud) 
			 Services RM887 Payroll Human Resources and Finance Services 
			 Software RM721 Commoditised IT Hardware and Software 
			 Software RM341 Geographic Information Services and Solutions 
			 Software A217834 Information and Communications Technology Consultancy 
			 Software MoU04 Microsoft Public Sector Agreement 
			 Software MoU06 Oracle—Memorandum of Understanding 
			 Software RM713 Software Application Solutions 
			 Travel RM918 Central Government Travel Management Service

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The Department does not hold information centrally on how many people hold a bachelors, masters or PhD-level degree in computer science.

Redundancy

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff in his Department were made redundant in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and how many such staff received payments in lieu of notice.

Brandon Lewis: DCLG audited accounts show that total staff costs fell from £216 million in 2009-10 to £99 million in 2012-13, a reduction of 54% in cash terms, or a saving of £117,000,000 per year. The number of staff has been reduced from 3,781 full-time equivalent in 2009-10 to 1,681 in 2012-13, a reduction of 56%.
	Based on current budgets, the DCLG Group is making a 44% real term saving against its running costs over this spending review period by 2014-15. This equates to savings of over £570 million by 2014-15. This includes savings of around £420 million from the closure of the Government offices for the regions.
	The number of staff that left due to voluntary or compulsory severance in each of the years in question and the number of those receiving a contractual payment in lieu of notice is set out as follows.
	
		
			  Number of staff leaving the Department Number of contractual payments in lieu of notice 
			 2010-11 18 1 
			 2011-12 336 113 
			 2012-13 175 6 
		
	
	The number of contractual payments in lieu of notice in 2011-12 increased as the Department undertook a major restructuring exercise in this year and staff were not always able to work their full notice periods before leaving the Department.
	Where contractual payments in lieu of notice were made, these were agreed for a variety of reasons including the inability of staff to serve contractual notice periods and the absence of work for them to do. All payments were made in line with contractual entitlement and under schemes approved by the Cabinet Office.

Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff in his Department (a) were disciplined and (b) had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in each of the last 12 months.

Brandon Lewis: It is absolutely right that staff who are genuinely unwell have the necessary time to recover and return to work; but sick absence should not be used as an excuse for unjustified absenteeism. In the past 12 months, one person was disciplined and two others were dismissed for failing to maintain satisfactory standards of attendance.

Urban Areas

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many applications for funds under the Mayoral High Streets Fund (a) have been received, (b) have been approved, (c) have been rejected and (d) are currently outstanding; and what total amount of funds remains unallocated under the High Streets Fund;
	(2)  how many applications for funds under the High Street Support Scheme (a) have been received, (b) have been approved, (c) have been rejected and (d) are currently outstanding; and what total amount of funds remains unallocated under the High Street Support Scheme;
	(3)  how many applications for funds under the High Street Innovation Fund (a) have been received, (b) have been approved, (c) have been rejected and (d) are currently outstanding; and what total amount of funds remains unallocated under the High Street Innovation Fund;
	(4)  what funds have been allocated to each Portas Pilot; what the total amount of these funds which currently remain unallocated is; if he will list the total amount of funds which have been allocated to town teams; and what the amount of these funds which currently remain unallocated is.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 11 November 2013
	My Department does not hold information on the Mayoral High Streets Fund. It is held by the Mayor of London and requests for information about the Mayoral High Street Fund need to be made directly to his office.
	The High Street Support scheme reimbursed local authorities for their eligible costs supporting local business recovery as a result of the 2011 public disorder. 24 local authorities submitted claims. None were rejected. There are no outstanding claims for the scheme which closed in 2012.
	In March 2011, my Department set up a £10 million High Street Innovation Fund. It gave £100,000 each to the 100 places in England that had suffered most from the riots and had the highest empty shop rates. No funds remain unallocated.
	There were 27 Portas pilots; three of whom are funded by the Mayor of London. Details of the amounts the respective pilots received have been placed in the Library of the House. The town teams which had applied to become Portas pilots but were unsuccessful, had the opportunity to apply for £10,000 of funding each, 333 took up this opportunity and no funds remain unallocated. The total funding provided by my Department is £5,616,644.
	The High Street Innovation Fund, Portas pilot funding and Town Team funding were all given out to the relevant local authority to pass on to these organisations. No funds remain unallocated within DCLG.

SCOTLAND

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All staff that join the Office, and its one arm’s length body, do so on an assignment, secondment or loan agreement from other Government bodies. All staff on such arrangements are paid more than the living wage and none are on zero hours contracts.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people employed by his Department hold (a) an undergraduate, (b) a master's and (c) a PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All staff that join the Office do so on an assignment, secondment or loan agreement from other Government bodies but principally from the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice. Information in relation to qualifications is retained by the parent body.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage small businesses to take on apprentices aged between 16 and 18 years old.

Matthew Hancock: We have introduced the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers, providing £1,500 payments to encourage and support smaller employers to take on a young apprentice aged 16 to 24. This is in addition to wider steps taken to make apprenticeships more attractive and accessible by simplifying the recruitment process and removing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Apprentices

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policy of Table 6.8 of findings of BIS Research Paper Number 77, published in May 2012, indicating a potential reduction in the number of apprentices aged 19 and over if employers faced cost increases equivalent to full fees.

Matthew Hancock: The Department undertakes research to assess the deadweight associated with its programmes to feed into our value for money assessments.
	Measuring deadweight—i.e. the extent to which learning would have gone ahead in the absence of Government funding—is complex. The method used in the survey cited is a self reported measure, we do not know for certain that employers will act in the way they say they will when asked the hypothetical question. We have therefore also used other approaches, such as those outlined in BIS Research Paper No. 71 'Measuring the Deadweight Loss Associated with Public Investment in Further Education and Skills'.
	However, to the extent that employers benefit from apprenticeships, then it is right that they contribute towards the costs of training. Co-investment will also ensure that employers have strong incentives to demand high-quality training from training providers, and to hold them to account for delivery. This principle is at the heart of the reformed apprenticeship funding system on which the Government consulted over the summer:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/apprenticeship-funding-reform-in-england

Apprentices: Portsmouth

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships were completed in Portsmouth South constituency in each of the last three years.

Matthew Hancock: Information on Apprenticeship achievements by geography are published in Supplementary Tables to a Statistical First Release:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/60297A67-6111-4D21-B0C1-0FF90B108012/0/June2013_Apprenticeship_Achievements_revised.xls
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/fe_data_library/Apprenticeships/

Apprentices: Thirsk

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships were completed in Thirsk and Malton constituency in each of the last three years.

Matthew Hancock: Information on apprenticeship achievements by geography are published in Supplementary Tables to a Statistical First Release:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/60297A67-6111-4D21-B0C1-0FF90B108012/0/June2013_Apprenticeship_Achievements_revised.xls
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/fe_data_library/Apprenticeships/

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) supports the living wage and encourages businesses to pay it when it is affordable and not at the expense of jobs.
	Our primary policy for supporting the low paid is the national minimum wage (NMW) which is carefully set at a level that maximises wages without damaging employment prospects. In order to raise living standards we are focused on increasing employment and cutting taxes by raising the personal allowance to £10,000 from April 2014 and will have taken 2.7 million people out of income tax altogether by 2014-15.
	There are no direct BIS employees paid less than the living wage, either nationally or in London.
	The Total Facilities Management (TFM) contract is with EC Harris who sub- contract operational delivery to Balfour Beatty Workplace (BBW). This operational delivery of FM services utilises a dedicated team of nearly 400 employees. There are currently 103 employees working under the London living wage (LLW) within London and the south east and 239 employees currently working under the national living wage across the national estate. BaxterStorey, who manage BIS catering, do not currently pay the LLW within the BIS estate.
	However, on the basis of fairness and current affordability, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) has instructed the Department to raise the wages of the lowest paid contracted staff working at BIS premises across the UK. We hope to report progress with implementing this by spring 2014. This is part of BIS' overall policy to try to increase living standards for its lowest paid staff.
	Zero hours contracts are not new, but since 2005, there has been an increase in their use. More recently Government has been made aware of, and taken note of, anecdotal evidence that has illustrated instances of abuse.
	As a result the Secretary of State for BIS announced that his officials would undertake a fact finding exercise to explore how these contracts work and what the issues are. This was undertaken over the summer.
	On 16 September 2013, the Secretary of State for BIS said he would publish a consultation seeking views on zero hour contracts and how to address the concerns raised in the summer fact finding exercise. The consultation will be published in mid November.
	There are no direct BIS employees on zero hour contracts.
	At present there is limited use of zero hour contracts with our service providers and these workers are permitted to work elsewhere.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Department's Executive Agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
	Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence, dated 7 November 2013
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, "how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts".
	The answer is that all Ordnance Survey employees are paid above the living wage and we have no direct employees on zero hours contracts.
	Letter from Ed Lester, dated 8 November 2013
	I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question 174969 tabled on 06 November 2013 which asked the following:
	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.
	Land Registry currently has no staff paid less than the living wage and no staff on zero hours contracts.
	Letter from Tim Moss, dated 8 November 2013
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 November 2013, UIN 174969 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	All of Companies House's direct employees and contracted workers are paid in excess of the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage, and we have no direct employees on zero hour contracts.
	Letter from John Alty, dated 8 November 2013
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 November 2013, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office is an Executive Agency and Trading Fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It does not have any employees or contracted workers being paid less than the living wage. It does not have any direct employees on zero hour's contracts.
	Letter from Kim Thorneywork, dated 7 November 2013
	Thank you for your question in asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts. (174969)
	Please be advised that based on our October data the Skills Funding Agency has 1,299 employees in the organisation, which includes 32 apprentices.
	None of the direct employees or the contracted workers of the Skills Funding Agency are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation, and the 32 apprentices are all paid above the National Minimum Wage, albeit below the level set by the Living Wage Foundation.
	We have no staff on 0 hours contracts.
	Letter from David Parker, dated 11 November 2013
	Thank you for your question to ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.
	The UK Space Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and supports the Living Wage and encourages businesses to pay it when it is affordable and not at the expense of jobs.
	In line with our parent department, our primary policy for supporting the low paid is the National Minimum Wage which is carefully set at a level that maximises wages without damaging employment prospects. In order to raise living standards we are focused on increasing employment and cutting taxes.
	On current terms, all permanently employed UK Space Agency staff are already paid above the living wage, either nationally or in London, as relevant.
	There are no direct UK Space Agency employees on zero hour contracts.
	Letter from Peter Mason, dated 13 November 2013
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 November 2013, asking how many direct employees and contracted workers are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.
	With the exception of apprentices, this Agency does not have any direct employees or contracted workers paid less that the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.
	We understand 'zero-hour contracts' to apply to individuals who can be called upon to support the business but who are not guaranteed work. The Agency does not employ staff on this basis. We do at times contract the supply of services from a limited number of contractors to deliver specialist requirements. The use of contractors is managed in accordance with BIS procurement procedures and is subject to regular review.
	Letter from Dr Richard Judge, dated 14 November 2013
	The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.
	My response relates to the Insolvency Service, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Insolvency Service currently has no employees who earn less than the living wage. There are presently 33 agency workers who earn less than the living wage. However, under the Agency Workers' Regulations, once the agency workers' assignments with the Insolvency Service reach 12 weeks' duration, they will be paid a rate greater than the living wage.
	The Insolvency Service has no employees on zero hour contracts.
	Letter from John Hirst, dated 11 November 2013
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 November 2013, UIN 174969 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	There are currently 5 employees at the Met Office on temporary placements who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. Paid placement opportunities at the Met Office are generally offered to interns who have just completed the first year of A* levels, current undergraduates or those who have completed their studies. There are no Met Office employees on zero hours contracts.

Construction: West Midlands

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what change in construction output there has been in the West Midlands in each of the last four quarters.

Michael Fallon: The value of construction output at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, for each of the latest available quarters in the west midlands is as follows:
	
		
			 Year/quarter All work, £ million 
			 2012  
			 Q2 2,666 
			 Q3 2,131 
			 Q4 2,156 
			   
			 2013  
			 Q1 2,006 
			 Q2 2,241 
			 Source: ONS, Output in the Construction Industry, September 2013. 
		
	
	Regional output for Q3 2013 will be made available with the next release on 13 December 2013.

Credit: Interest Rates

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to discourage people from taking out multiple payday loans.

Jo Swinson: Government and regulators have been working together to tackle the problems in the payday lending market and to clamp down on unscrupulous and irresponsible lenders. We have made clear our aim to ensure that consumers should not be able to take out multiple loans the same day without their credit files being properly checked and, more broadly, that payday lenders are making proper and effective use of existing credit check mechanisms. Credit data sharing is key to lenders carrying out proper affordability assessments, and more progress on recording and using payday lending data in real time is vital to addressing problems around multiple loans.
	All lenders are already required by law to assess the borrower's creditworthiness before providing credit. We welcome, in the short-term, the Office of Fair Trading's strong action on non-compliant payday lenders as a top enforcement priority. From April 2014, the Financial Conduct Authority, the new credit regulator has proposed tough new rules on payday lending. These will include: binding requirements on lenders to conduct proper affordability assessments; a limit on the number of times a loan can be rolled over; and a requirement to include risk warnings and information about free debt advice in all payday adverts, as well as before rolling over a loan.

Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to page 13 of the Government's publication, Cyber security organisational standards: guidance, published in April 2013, who the members of the selection panel are.

David Willetts: Ministers will be reviewing the outcome of this process shortly. Their decision will be based on a recommendation from Government policy officials from GCHQ, OCSIA in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The overall process has been informed by advice received from academia, technical and standards experts, and broader UK industry through an open and public consultation.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2013, Official Report, columns 141-2W, on environment protection: taxation, which companies the Government has compensated for the indirect costs of the European Union Emissions Trading System; and how much compensation each such company received.

Michael Fallon: We are still assessing applications for the European Union Emissions Trading System compensation and will publish names of companies receiving compensation once this process has been completed. Due to commercial confidentiality we do not intend to disclose the amounts of compensation received by each company.

Mental Illness: Discrimination

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2013, OfficialReport, column 583W, on mental illness: discrimination, what steps his Department is taking to encourage businesses to sign up to the Time to Change initiative to end mental health discrimination.

Jo Swinson: BIS is currently not taking any specific action to encourage businesses to sign up to the Time to Change initiative. However, it is committed to ending mental health discrimination and will be supporting the Department of Health (Government's lead on the programme) to promote the Time to Change initiative across a wide range of businesses.

New Businesses: Bedford

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many start-up loans have been granted to businesses in postcode areas (a) MK40, (b) MK41 and (c) MK42 in the last year.

Matthew Hancock: The Start-Up Loans scheme volumes for businesses in postcode areas (a) MK40, (b) MK41 and (c) MK42 in the year ending 11 November 2013 are as follows:
	(a) MK40—5 loans with a total value of £39,900
	(b)MK41—0 loans
	(c) MK42—8 loans with a total value of £45,100

New Businesses: Poole

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department has provided to help new start-up businesses in Poole access finance.

Matthew Hancock: Start-up businesses are vital to the economy and this Government is supporting them in many ways.
	In Poole, 15 start-up loans have been drawn with a value of £104,600; and since May 2010, 22 enterprise finance guarantee scheme loans have been drawn with a value of £1.6 million.
	Nationally we are supporting start-up businesses in a number of ways:
	Start-up loans are now available to anyone over the age of 18 starting a business (or in the early stages of doing so) but lacking access to the necessary finance or support to realise their ambitions. Further information can be found at:
	http://www.startuploans.co.uk
	www.gov.uk is the home for Government services and information online. One of the tools available is the ‘Finance Finder’; a searchable database of publicly-backed sources of finance. The tool will help to explore the full range of options available, from Government grants to investment types of finance available from Business Angels and Venture Capitalists.
	As part of a move to make it simpler and easier for small businesses to access help, the greatbusiness website:
	www.greatbusiness.gov.uk
	links to sources of information and advice on how to run, finance and expand a business.
	In addition to online support, the Business Link helpline is available to provide a quick response on queries about starting a business, or a personalised and in-depth advice service for more complex needs.

Post Offices

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many post office branches were open at the end of (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13.

Jo Swinson: This Government has made a commitment that there will be no Post Office closure programme, planned or otherwise, and is providing £1.34 billion to 2015 to modernise and create a sustainable Post Office network of at least 11,500 branches which is also compliant with the Government-set access criteria. The Post Office network has experienced a high level of stability since 2010, halting over two decades of closures and decline. The size of the network is at its most stable for over 20 years as demonstrated by the annual end March figures in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
			 1993 19,958 
			 1994 19,782 
			 1995 19,607 
			 1996 19,414 
			 1997 19,251 
			 1998 19,008 
			 1999 18,775 
			 2000 18,393 
			 2001 17,846 
			 2002 17,584 
			 2003 17,239 
			 2004 15,961 
			 2005 14,609 
			 2006 14,376 
			 2007 14,219 
			 2008 13,567 
			 2009 11,952 
			 2010 11,905 
			 2011 11,820 
			 2012 11,818 
			 2013 11,780

Public Houses: Closures

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the rate of pub closures in (a) Poole and (b) England in the last two years.

Jo Swinson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson) on 4 September 2013, Official Report, column 417W. The Government does not compile statistics on pub closures and has made no estimate of the number of pubs that have closed in the last two years.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: BIS does not centrally record details of individual qualifications. To collate this information would incur disproportionate cost.

Regional Growth Fund: North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been paid to companies in the North East under the Regional Growth Fund to date.

Michael Fallon: To date Regional Growth Fund payments totalling £816.3 million have been made to projects and programmes in England. £92.7 million of that total has been paid in the North East.

Regional Growth Fund: Poole

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of the businesses in Poole received grants from the most recent round of the Regional Growth Fund.

Michael Fallon: No businesses in Poole have received grants from the fourth Regional Growth Fund bidding round.

Royal Mail

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to question 171111, how many shares in the Royal Mail are being sold to (a) foreign and (b) domestic shareholders; and how many shares were purchased in each region.

Michael Fallon: Of the base offer sold by Government on 11 October 2013, 67% of shares were allocated to institutional investors and 33% to individuals located in the UK through the retail offer. When allocating shares for institutional investors, we prioritised long-term, stable investors with 63% of the institutional tranche going to British-based institutions. We do not hold a regional break down.
	Royal Mail is now listed on the London stock exchange with owners free to trade their shares. The maintenance of the Royal Mail plc share register is a matter for the company.

Royal Mail

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what fees his Department has paid to date to (a) Goldman Sachs, (b) UBS, (c) Barclays, (d) Bank of America Merrill Lynch and (e) Lazard in respect of the flotation of Royal Mail.

Michael Fallon: In total the underwriting banks are entitled to a maximum fee of 1.2% of the IPO proceeds, or £16.9 million. That maximum includes a discretionary fee of £4.2 million. No decision has been made on payment of this discretionary fee. The actual fees will be finalised shortly. Lazard will receive £1.5 million, as the Government's independent adviser on the Royal Mail transaction.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many private sector employees have been seconded by the private sector to his Department; what the name was of the company from which they were seconded; and whether any of those employees have worked on drafting legislation.

Jo Swinson: The following table gives details of those companies who have seconded individuals to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills since January 2011. It is unlikely that any of the individuals seconded would have been involved in drafting legislation but to verify each record would involve disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Parent organisation Date secondment started Date secondment due to end 
			 Royal Bank of Scotland October 2010 October 2011 
			 Credit Suisse June 2007 February 2012 
			 Imperial College London April 2009 March 2012 
			 Jones Lang LaSalle January 2011 July 2011 
			 Jones Lang LaSalle January 2011 July 2011 
			 OFCOM February 2011 October 2011 
			 Slaughter & May March 2011 January 2012 
			 BDO April 2011 February 2012 
			 PwC May 2011 July 2011 
			 Deloitte June 2011 June 2012 
			 KPMG October 2011 At Cab Office 
			 Citigroup November 2011 November 2012 
			 3i November 2011 October 2012 
			 KPMG November 2011 November 2012 
			 Arup November 2011 November 2012 
			 RBS December 2011 December 2012 
			 Balfour Beatty December 2011 April 2013 
			 Herbert Smith November 2011 November 2013 
			 Electoral Commission December 2011 December 2013 
			 QinetiQ December 2011 March 2012 
			 Hanson plc January 2012 March 2012 
			 Slaughter & May January 2012 Dec 2012 
			 BDO January 2012 Dec 2012 
			 BDO February 2012 Dec 2012 
			 OFCOM February 2012 April 2013 
			 Norton Rose February 2012 August 2012 
			 PWC February 2012 December 2012 
			 Asset Protect Agency March 2012 June 2012 
			 Navigant March 2012 March 2013 
			 Project Finance Sols March 2012 March 2013 
			 UCL March 2012 June 2012 
			 UCL March 2012 June 2012 
			 UCL March 2012 June 2012 
			 UCL April 2012 June 2012 
			 UCL April 2012 June 2012 
			 Asset Protect Agency April 2012 June 2012 
			 Lloyds TSB May 2012 September 2012 
			 Asset Protect Agency June 2012 December 2012 
			 KPMG LLP October 2012 October 2013 
			 Telefonica January 2012 September 2013 
			 BBSRC April 2012 January 2014

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Jo Swinson: Central records show that the 0845 numbers in use by the Department are:
	0845 015 0010—BIS publications order line
	0845 015 0020—BIS publications order line (fax)
	0845 015 0030—BIS publications order line (minicom)
	0845 600 9006—Business Link helpline.
	The Department does not operate any 0843 or 0844 numbers. No records are available showing the number of calls made to these numbers in the last 12 months. Alternative 03 numbers charged at UK-wide geographic rates will be available by January 2014.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Disability Living Allowance: Terminal Illnesses

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the timescale was for decisions for terminally ill people who applied for disability living allowance under the special rules process from 1 January to 1 October 2013.

Michael Penning: The target for DLA special rules claims was 10 days. The percentage of claims cleared within 10 days between January 2013 and June 2013 was 85.4%. From July 2013 to October 2013 the percentage of claims cleared in 10 days is significantly impacted by far lower volumes of DLA special rules claims following the national go live for PIP.

Employment and Support Allowance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 September 2013, Official Report, columns 830-31W, on employment and support allowance, what the medical condition is of those people transferred from incapacity benefit to the employment and support allowance work-related activity group without being seen by an assessor; and what guidance his Department has issued on how such decisions are to be made.

Michael Penning: The decision to place a claimant who was in receipt of incapacity benefit onto employment and support allowance following the outcome of their work capability assessment would not be based on a prescribed medical condition.
	A face to face assessment would not be required when there is enough existing evidence on the claimant’s condition at the scrutiny stage for Atos Healthcare professionals to make a recommendation to DWP Decision Makers.
	Guidance about making the WCA decision for DWP Decision Makers is contained within the Work Capability Assessment Handbook and the Decision Makers Guide.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Details of all EU Directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to Protocol 21 to the Treaties on the Functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page.
	The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v0_1.pdf
	In the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen Parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU Directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The UK's opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to Title V of Part Three of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as set out in Protocol 21 to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to Title V of Part Three of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Housing Benefit

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to be able to advise local authorities as to the status of discretionary housing payments after March 2014; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The Government has made available £395 million in discretionary housing payment funding over the course of the spending round (2011-15).
	We are currently assessing returns from local authorities which detail in-year discretionary housing payment expenditure to the end of September.
	Final decisions about allocations will not be taken until after this work is completed. Local authorities will be advised of their allocations for 2014-15 in due course.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what compensation has been allocated to claimants wrongly denied exemption from the under-occupancy penalty in (a) London and (b) the rest of the UK.

Esther McVey: Pensioners are the only group exempt from the removal of the spare room subsidy. We are not aware of any pensioners who have erroneously had their spare room subsidy removed.
	This would be a matter for individual local authorities who are responsible for administering housing benefit.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the (a) percentage and (b) cash change in housing benefit paid to social housing tenants was in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what the (a) percentage and (b) cash change in housing benefit paid to (i) pensioner and (ii) working age households in social housing was in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  what the (a) percentage and (b) cash change in housing benefit paid per 1,000 social tenants of (i) pensioner and (ii) working age households was in social housing in each of the last 10 years.

Steve Webb: The information requested is contained in Tables 1 and 2 as follows:
	
		
			 Table 1: Housing benefit expenditure in the social rented sector—change since previous year 
			  Total Working age Pensioner 
			  £ million, nominal % £ million, nominal % £ million, nominal % 
			 2002-03 840 9.6 565 11.5 275 7.2 
			 2003-04 -280 -2.9 27 0.5 -307 -7.5 
			 2004-05 479 5.1 415 7.5 64 1.7 
			 2005-06 409 4.2 422 7.1 -14 -0.4 
			 2006-07 353 3.5 265 4.2 87 2.3 
			 2007-08 469 4.4 368 5.6 101 2.6 
			 2008-09 446 4.0 -42 -0.6 488 12.1 
			 2009-10 937 8.2 806 11.6 131 2.9 
			 2010-11 338 2.7 245 3.2 94 2.0 
			 2011-12 841 6.6 615 7.7 227 4.8 
			 Source: DWP statistical data and local authority subsidy returns. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Housing benefit expenditure per 1,000 claimants in the social rented sector—change since previous year. 
			  Total Working age Pensioner 
			  £ million, nominal % £ million, nominal % £ million, nominal % 
			 2002-03 0.29 10.4 0.34 11.7 0.23 8.6 
			 2003-04 -0.08 -2.7 -0.10 -3.1 -0.08 -2.8 
			 2004-05 0.08 2.7 0.11 3.4 0.04 1.4 
			 2005-06 0.12 4.0 0.11 3.4 0.12 4.1 
			 2006-07 0.13 4.0 0.18 5.3 0.06 2.0 
			 2007-08 0.21 6.2 0.29 8.0 0.10 3.3 
			 2008-09 0.13 3.5 -0.01 -0.2 0.32 10.2 
			 2009-10 0.16 4.5 0.21 5.4 0.09 2.5 
			 2010-11 0.01 0.3 -0.05 -1.2 0.08 2.4 
			 2011-12 0.20 5.3 0.21 5.1 0.19 5.4 
			 Source: DWP statistical data and local authority subsidy returns.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the mental health and wellbeing of those tenants affected by the under-occupancy penalty.

Esther McVey: The removal of the spare room subsidy was subject both to an impact assessment and an equalities impact assessment. Claimants or their partners who reported a Disability Discrimination Act recognised disability were considered within the equalities impact assessment.
	Both the impact assessment and the equalities impact assessment were published in June 2012 and links to them are provided as follows.
	Impact assessment
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-under-occupation-of-social-housing-impact-assessment
	Equalities impact assessment
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-equality-impact-assessment

Independent Living Fund: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will meet the Welsh Government Minister for Local Government to discuss the future of the Independent Living Fund;
	(2)  what plans he has to (a) close and (b) devolve to Wales the budget for the Independent Living Fund in 2015.

Michael Penning: The Department is examining the judgment very carefully and considering the implications before deciding upon the most appropriate way forward. Any new decision will be made using new advice prepared in light of the guidance provided by the court.

Internet

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many clicks through to his Department's sorting out separation web app front page have come from each of the organisations that has embedded it in their website in the last three months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many unique users his Department's sorting out separation web app received in the last six months for which figures are available; what proportion of visitors left the app without progressing beyond the front page; how many signposts within the app were clicked; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: This information currently received has not been validated for publication. However, the Department does intend to publish data on the performance of the sorting out separation web app and are currently considering how best to do this.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many attacks on Jobcentre Plus staff were recorded in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011, (e) 2012 and (f) January to October 2013.

Esther McVey: Jobcentre Plus currently conducts approximately 25.5 million adviser interviews each year. Physical assaults Jobcentre staff are very rare. But we take such physical assaults extremely seriously and work with the police and departmental solicitors to secure the harshest penalties appropriate.
	Please note that a more detailed online system was set up in September 2011 which has improved the quality of our reported incidents.
	
		
			  Actual reported assaults by Jobcentre Plus staff 
			  No injury/less than cuts and bruises Cuts and bruises More than cuts and bruises 
			 2008-09 231 44 19 
			 2009-10 204 19 5 
			 2010-11 183 52 11 
			 2011-12 242 44 12 
			 2012-13 373 80 23 
			 April to October 2013 206 29 13

Jobcentre Plus

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of JobCentre Plus centres which take incoming calls using an 0845 number; and if he will estimate the number of calls made per year to such centres using such numbers.

Esther McVey: Calls to each of the Department's 719 Jobcentre Plus offices are routed via an 0845 telephone number—0845 604 3719 for English language calls and 0845 604 4248 for Welsh language calls.
	Jobcentre Plus also operates 32 working age contact centres which deliver 0845 service lines. Three further Jobcentre Plus sites handle 0845 calls relating to industrial injuries disablement benefit only and a further site delivers bereavement benefit 0845 calls only.
	Additionally, certain call types received from 0845 numbers are routed to the Department's outsourcing partner, Serco.
	Between November 2012 and October 2013 a total of 50.36 million calls were received via 0845 numbers managed by DWP.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many current staff working for Jobcentre Plus have completed an accredited training on domestic violence awareness.

Esther McVey: he Department does not have any specific accredited training on domestic violence; however, all advisers are encouraged to complete an open learning customer service training awareness package on ‘Safeguarding Adults and Children’. Information on how many staff members have undergone this training is not accessible as the training forms part of the overall customer awareness package.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps staff working for JobCentre Plus take with those of Women's Aid to support women who have been victims of domestic violence.

Esther McVey: We regularly work with national stakeholders, including Women's Aid, and the skills our advisers have learnt on Women's Aid courses on domestic violence are incorporated into our training guidance.
	We will continue to maintain strong relationships with our domestic violence stakeholders, including Women's Aid, at a national level. This allows us to ensure issues are dealt with, best practice is identified and shared and the latest evidence and analysis informs our policy decisions.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidelines his Department has issued to Jobcentre Plus managers on issuing sanctions to jobseeker's allowance claimants; and what processes are in place for monitoring the total number of sanctions issued to jobseeker's allowance claimants.

Esther McVey: There are a number of guidance products available for Jobcentre Plus staff which advises them of the conditionality requirements for jobseeker's allowance and where a referral to a decision maker would be appropriate to consider a sanction if the requirements were not met. For staff in a Jobcentre, there is the ‘Labour Market Conditions Guide' and applicable sections in the Jobseeker's Allowance chapter of the ‘Get Britain Working Guide'. For decision makers, there is the ‘Decision Makers Guide' and ‘Labour Market Decision Makers Procedural Guide’.
	We deploy a comprehensive monitoring regime to check that sanctions are applied appropriately across our network. Where any site is making significantly more or fewer referrals than we would typically expect, an independent team reviews their activity to ensure sanctions are being applied appropriately.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what number and proportion of claimants of jobseeker's allowance have been sanctioned in (a) each Welsh county and (b) each constituency in Wales in the latest year for which data is available.

Esther McVey: The latest year for which data are available at parliamentary constituency and unitary authority level is the period from June 2011 to May 2012 and are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of sanctions applied to JSA claimants and what proportion this figure represents of the total number of JSA claims by parliamentary constituency and unitary authority, Wales; 1 June 2011 to 31 May 2012 
			  Number Proportion (percentage) 
			 Parliamentary Constituency   
			 Aberavon 1,060 16 
			 Aberconwy 450 12 
			 Alyn and Deeside 790 13 
			 Arfon 890 19 
			 Blaenau Gwent 1,190 14 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 450 12 
			 Bridgend 1,110 16 
			 Caerphilly 1,550 18 
			 Cardiff Central 1,180 14 
			 Cardiff North 530 10 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 1,930 16 
			 Cardiff West 1,430 16 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 370 10 
			 Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire 700 14 
			 Ceredigion 490 14 
			 Clwyd South 700 12 
			 Clwyd West 690 13 
			 Cynon Valley 1,040 13 
			 Delyn 560 11 
			 Dwyfor Meirionnydd 470 15 
			 Gower 580 12 
			 Islwyn 730 11 
			 Llanelli 960 15 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 1,160 13 
			 Monmouth 590 13 
			 Montgomeryshire 550 16 
			 Neath 1,060 17 
			 Newport East 1,300 17 
			 Newport West 1,380 16 
			 Ogmore 870 12 
			 Pontypridd 780 12 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 680 13 
			 Rhondda 1,410 17 
			 Swansea East 1,400 17 
			 Swansea West 710 10 
			 Torfaen 890 11 
			 Vale of Clwyd 990 16 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 1,290 16 
			 Wrexham 730 12 
			 Ynys Mon 840 16 
			    
			 Unitary Authority   
			 Anglesey 840 16 
			 Blaenau Gwent 1,190 14 
			 Bridgend 1,840 14 
			 Caerphilly 2,650 15 
			 Cardiff 4,750 14 
			 Carmarthenshire 1,570 13 
			 Ceredigion 490 14 
			 Conwy 1,070 13 
			 Denbighshire 1,110 15 
			 Flintshire 1,350 12 
			 Gwynedd 1,350 17 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 790 12 
			 Monmouthshire 740 15 
			 Neath Port Talbot 2,120 17 
			 Newport 2,470 16 
			 Pembrokeshire 1,130 14 
			 Powys 990 14 
			 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 3,380 14 
			 Swansea 2,700 14 
			 The Vale of Glamorgan 940 10 
		
	
	
		
			 Torfaen 1,610 18 
			 Wrexham 1,380 12 
			 Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Proportions are rounded to the nearest whole number and are calculated as the number of sanctions and disallowances applied divided by the total number of JSA claims. Some individuals will have more than one sanction or disallowance applied and/or more than one JSA claim. 2. The number of sanctions or disallowances applied is the number of referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. 3. The number of JSA claims is the total number of off-flows in the period plus the caseload at the end of that period. 4. 12 May is the latest data available for this level of detail. 5. Since 1 April 1996 Wales has been divided into 22 principal areas. The principal areas are variously styled as “county”, “county borough” or unitary authorities. Source: DWP Information Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database and ONS claimant count and off-flows data

Office for Nuclear Regulation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to appoint the new chief nuclear inspector.

Michael Penning: The appointment of Dr Andrew Hall as the Office for Nuclear Regulation's new chief nuclear inspector was announced on Friday 8 November 2013.

Office for Nuclear Regulation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to appoint new members of the board of the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

Michael Penning: The appointment of Mr Nicholas Baldwin as the non-executive chair of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) was announced on 29 October 2013. Subject to the successful passage through Parliament of the Energy Bill 2012-13 to 2013-14, which will establish the ONR as a statutory body, the appointment of further non-executive members to the ONR Board will commence next year in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The ONR chief executive officer, chief nuclear inspector, and deputy chief executive and director of finance will be executive members of the ONR Board. This may be supplemented by an extra ONR executive, subject to the agreement of the ONR Board.

Personal Independence Payment: South East

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the 21 personal independence payment consultation centres serving South and East England cannot be reached within (a) 90 minutes and (b) 60 minutes by public transport from all parts of their catchment area. [Official Report, 10 December 2013, Vol. 572, c. 1MC.]

Michael Penning: No claimant should travel more than 90 minutes (single journey) by public transport, for their consultation. As part of the process Atos, as the assessment provider in the south and east of England, will offer an assessment at their nearest location and it is only when that location is full would claimants be sent to an alternative site. As part of their bid, Atos stated that 75-90% of claimants will have no journey longer than 60 minutes. In the exceptional circumstance where a claimant is unable to make a journey within 90 minutes via public transport Atos will offer either a home visit or the ability to use a taxi.

Personal Independence Payment: South East

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the 21 personal independence payment consultation centres serving South and East England are not on a bus route.

Michael Penning: The invitation to tender (ITT) asked providers to consider the claimant experience and needs of the PIP claimant base such as proximity to public transport routes and access to suitable parking e.g. Blue Badge claimants and that they must not travel for more than 90 minutes.
	Atos Healthcare, the personal independence payment (PIP) assessment provider in Lot 3 (London and southern England), have a delivery model based on working with partners established in the health care sector. Atos are using the premises of their partners for PIP consultations—locations such as physiotherapy clinics, local hospitals and medical centres, which may already be familiar to claimants and are usually at the centre of established public transport links.

Personal Independence Payment: South East

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the 21 personal independence payment consultation centres serving South and East England do not have parking available for clients within 50 metres of the centre.

Michael Penning: All Atos sites have available blue badge parking that enables claimants to park nearer and with easier access to the accommodation used for assessments.
	As part of their bid Atos stated that at community hospital locations 30-40 blue badge spaces are available. In other accommodation (GP surgeries and Physiotherapist sites) Atos stated that 2-5 spaces would be available depending on the size of the estate.
	A claimant will be issued details about this accommodation in advance of their assessment and if they are unable to attend Atos may offer a home visit.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many private sector employees have been seconded by the private sector to his Department; what the name was of the company from which they were seconded; and whether any of those employees have worked on drafting legislation.

Michael Penning: Individuals seconded from an external organisation in to the Department do not have a civil service contract and are not paid through the Departments payroll. Information on secondees in to the Department is not held centrally.

Social Fund

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the rate of repayment was for crisis and budgeting loans in the four years prior to the changes to the Discretionary Social Fund in 2013.

Steve Webb: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Dame Anne Begg), 30 October 2013, Official Report, column 510W.
	There is no time limit for crisis loans and budgeting loans to be repaid. Loans remain outstanding until the full amount has been paid back and they can, in some cases, take many years to be recovered fully. Tables 1 and 2 show the proportion of crisis loan and budgeting loan expenditure made in each financial year between 2009-10 and 2012-13 that has been recovered in the following years up to and including 2012-13. Please note that these figures do not represent total recoveries made by the Social Fund scheme in each year as there will have been additional repayments from loans made in earlier years.
	
		
			 Table 1: Crisis loan expenditure from 2009-10 and 2012-13 and the proportion recovered in each year up to 2012-13 
			 Year loan paid out Expenditure (£) % recovered in each following year Total paid back by 2012-13 
			   2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13  
			 2009-10 228.8 13 19 18 12 63 
			 2010-11 228.3 — 11 20 18 49 
			 2011-12 133.3 — — 14 19 33 
			 2012-13 102.8 — — — 16 16 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Budgeting loan expenditure from 2009-10 and 2012-13 and the proportion recovered in each year up to 2012-13 
			 Year loan paid out Expenditure (£) % recovered in each following year Total paid back by 2012-13 
			   2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13  
			 2009-10 482.3 33 36 14 5 88 
			 2010-11 445.9 — 33 39 13 86 
			 2011-12 447.5 — — 36 40 76 
			 2012-13 455.3 — — — 38 38 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data; for example, these amounts do not include expenditure or recoveries from applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 2. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000 and percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percentage point. Source: DWP Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Social Rented Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated real terms rise in housing expenditure due to rises in social sector rents, expressed in cash and percentage terms was, in each year since 2009-10; and if he will estimate the likely change in such expenditure in 2013-14.

Steve Webb: The information is shown in the following table. In 2013-14, eligible rent growth is lower due to the removal of the spare room subsidy, which reduces housing benefit (HB) eligible rents for social sector tenants where the property is underoccupied.
	
		
			 Impact of yearly social sector rent growth on HB expenditure 
			  Social sector case load (Thousand) Average social sector eligible rent (£ per week) Real terms growth from previous year1 (%) Impact on expenditure (£ billion) Percentage of housing benefit expenditure (%) 
			 2008-09 3,117 73.58 — — — 
			 2009-10 3,227 77.66 4 0.5 2.5 
			 2010-11 3,306 78.48 -2 -0.2 -0.9 
			 2011-12 3,346 82.72 3 0.4 1.8 
			 2012-132 3,378 88.56 6 0.8 3.4 
			 2013-142 3,349 89.76 -1 -0.2 -0.8 
			 1 Real terms is calculated as rent growth above the growth in the gross domestic product deflators updated on 20 March 2013. 2 Impacts for 2012-13 and 2013-14 are based on Budget 2013 forecasts as full out-turn is not available for these years. 
		
	
	Impacts for each year are independent and do not account for eligible rent being higher due to growth in previous years.
	This impact is estimated based on analysis of the single housing benefit extract (SHBE) administrative data. It assumes eligible social rents have grown in real terms by the percentage shown in the table for all recipients on the case load in September, representing mid-financial year and compares this to if eligible rents had remained stable in real terms. This is based on the average growth for Great Britain overall, which is affected by the mix of claimants on HB, particularly geographically. Therefore if this analysis was done by region, or other breakdown, the impact would be likely to change.
	This method assumes the eligible rent variable on SHBE reflects actual eligible rents; however, this variable is sometimes reported incorrectly. This is expected to have a small impact on the analysis.

Social Rented Housing

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to introduce statutory underpinning in respect of housing rental switchback provision; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Provision for making payments to another person on a claimant's behalf already exists in regulation 58 of the Universal Credit Claims and Payments Regulations 2013.

Social Security Benefits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each local authority area who were receiving over £26,000 in benefits each year have been affected by the benefit cap to date; and how many people currently receive over £26,000 in benefits each year.

Esther McVey: Official statistics on the number of people who were receiving over £26,000 in benefits each year are not currently available. Official statistics on the number of households subject to the benefit cap at GB and regional level are available here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-cap-statistics
	We aim to release these statistics at local authority level in December.
	The information requested on how many people currently receive over £26,000 in benefits each year is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to release data on benefits claimants to water utility companies for the purpose of the allocation of social tariffs.

Michael Penning: There is no legislation in place currently that would permit the release of benefits information to water utility companies: it is likely that new legislation would be required to enable the sharing of benefits data with water utility companies on this scale. The Department has helped facilitate similar initiatives such as the Warm Home Discount Scheme, and is happy to consider any formal proposals for making better use of data.
	The Department already has arrangements in place that permit deductions to be taken from benefits and paid to creditors, including utility, companies, to maintain essential household services. Deductions for utility charges can also include an amount to cover current consumption as well as to repay arrears.

Social Security Benefits: Bradford

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit sanctions there were in Bradford in each of the last five years.

Esther McVey: Statistics on the number of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanctions and disallowance referrals, where the decision was found against the claimant, in each month from 1 April 2000 to 21 October 2012, by Jobcentre Plus Office can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/number-of-jobseekers-allowance-sanctions-and-disallowances-where-a-decision-has-been-made-in-each-month-from-1-april-2000-to-21-october-2012
	Statistics on the number of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanctions and disallowance referrals, where the decision was found against the claimant, in each month from 22 October 2012 to 30 June 2013, by Jobcentre Plus Office can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jobseekers-allowance-and-employment-and-support-allowance-sanctions-decisions-made-to-june-2013
	Statistics on the number of employment and support allowance (ESA) sanctions referrals found against the claimant in each of the last five years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of ESA sanctions applied in Bradford: 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2013 
			 Year of decision Total number of sanctions applied 
			 2009 60 
			 2010 240 
			 2011 30 
			 2012 120 
			 2013 110 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Sanctions applied: The number of sanctions applied is the number of varied, fixed length and entitlement decision referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. 3. Year of decision: The year in which the decision to apply a sanction was made. Data is to 30 June 2013 which is the latest data available. 4. Figures are for the following Jobcentre Plus offices in Bradford Metropolitan District: Bradford Eastbrook Court, Bradford Westfield House, Keighley, Shipley. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: ESA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. 
		
	
	Statistics on the number of sanctions applied to income support lone parents (ISLPs) in each of the last five years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of ISLP sanctions applied in Bradford: 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2013 
			 Year of decision Total number of sanctions applied 
			 2009 690 
			 2010 680 
			 2011 550 
			 2012 460 
			 2013 200 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Year of decision: The year in which the decision to apply a sanction was made. Data is to 30 June 2013, which is the latest data available. 3. Figures are for the following parliamentary constituencies: Bradford East, Bradford South and Bradford West. Source: DWP Income Support Computer System.

Social Security Benefits: Portsmouth

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit sanctions there were in Portsmouth South constituency in each of the last five years.

Esther McVey: Statistics on the number of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanctions and disallowance referrals, where the decision was found against the claimant in each of the last five years for which information is available, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of JSA sanctions applied in Portsmouth South parliamentary constituency: 1 January 2007 to 31 May 2012 
			 Year of decision Total number of sanctions applied 
			 2007 810 
			 2008 770 
			 2009 650 
		
	
	
		
			 2010 1,200 
			 2011 1,460 
			 2012 660 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Sanctions applied: The number of sanctions applied is the number of varied, fixed length and entitlement decision sanction referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. 3. Parliamentary constituency: Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. Boundaries are as at the reference date. More information and a map can be found at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/beginner-s-guide/maps/index.html 4. Year of decision: The year in which the decision to apply a sanction was made. Data is up to and including 31 May 2012, which is the latest data available by parliamentary constituency. 5. Varied length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for leaving employment voluntarily without just cause, refusing employment without good cause, or losing employment through misconduct. The actual period in each case is at the discretion of the adjudication officer who makes the decision. 6. Fixed length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for refusal, without good cause, to attend an employment programme or carry out a jobseeker's direction. Payment of benefit continues in full pending the adjudication officer's decision on a sanction question. 7. Entitlement decisions: These are questions on which entitlement to JSA depends. For example, if there is doubt around whether the jobseeker's agreement (JSAg) is suitable, whether they are actively looking for work or making themselves available for work. In most cases payment of JSA will be suspended by benefit processing until the doubt is resolved. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. 
		
	
	The information requested for JSA sanctions data from May 2012 and for employment and support allowance (ESA) sanctions is not readily available by parliamentary constituency and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Statistics on the number of sanctions applied to income support lone parents (ISLPs) are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of ISLP sanctions applied in Portsmouth South parliamentary constituency: 1 January 2007 to 30 June 2013 
			 Year of decision Total number of Sanctions applied 
			 2007 220 
			 2008 200 
			 2009 310 
			 2010 200 
			 2011 140 
			 2012 150 
		
	
	
		
			 2013 80 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Year of decision: The year in which the decision to apply a sanction was made. Data is to 30 June 2013 which is the latest data available. Source: DWP Income Support Computer System.

Supreme Court: Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the effect of the decision of the Supreme Court in R (on the application of Reilly and another) v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in Northern Ireland.

Esther McVey: The Supreme Court judgment in R (on the application of Reilly and another) v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was concerned about the Jobseekers Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise) Regulations 2011. Northern Ireland has no equivalent regulations. Therefore Ministers for the Department for Work and Pensions have had no discussion with the Northern Ireland Executive about the effect of this Supreme Court judgment in Northern Ireland.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Esther McVey: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Department currently operates 180 0845 numbers;
	(b) The Department does not operate any 0844 numbers;
	(c) The Department does not operate any 0843 numbers.
	There are no alternative geographic numbers for the Department's 0845 service lines.
	The following table lists the total calls received by the Department's 0845 telephone numbers for the period November 2012 to October 2013:
	
		
			 Service line Language Number Call received 
			 Maternity Allowance English 0845 608 8610 232,323 
			 Maternity Allowance Welsh 0845 608 8674 293 
			 NINO Allocation Line English 0845 6000643 1,336,769 
			 NINO Allocation Line Welsh 0845 6021491 300 
			 NINO Allocation Line Text 0845 6000644 Not available 
			 Employer Direct English 0845 6012001 423,566 
			 Employer Direct Welsh 0845 6014441 77 
			 Employer Direct Text English 0845 6012002 Not available 
			 Employer Direct Text Welsh 0845 6014442 Not available 
			 Jobseeker Direct English 0845 60 60 234 1,459,429 
		
	
	
		
			 Jobseeker Direct Welsh 0845 6067890 464 
			 Jobseeker Direct Text English 0845 6055255 Not available 
			 Jobseeker Direct Text Welsh 0845 6044022 Not available 
			 Self Service English 0845 604 3349 44,200 
			 Self Service Welsh 0845 604 3412 37 
			 Self Service Text 0845 604 0523 Not available 
			 Social Fund English 0845 603 6967 3,774,181 
			 Social Fund Welsh 0845 608 8756 441 
			 Social Fund Text 0845 608 8553 Not available 
			 Health and Safety Executive English 0845 300 9923 22,893 
			 Workplace Pension Information Line English 0845 6001268 1,696 
			 Workplace Pension Information Line Welsh 0845 600 8187 71 
			 Workplace Pension Information Line Text 0845 850 0363 Not available 
			 Benefit Cap English 0845 605 7064 16,544 
			 Benefit Cap Welsh 0845 605 7066 10 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Aberdeen—0845 608 8749 344,869 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Barnsley—0845 608 8560 621,098 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Basildon—0845 608 8575 1,045,288 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Bathgate—0845 608 8630 372,764 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Belfast—0845 608 8770 992,637 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Birkenhead—0845 608 8529 1,149,256 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Bolton—0845 608 8531 827,838 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Bristol East—0845 608 8597 208,884 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Burnley—0845 608 8502 165,050 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Bradford—0845 608 8556 192,584 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Bury St Edmunds—0845 608 8618 219,155 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Caerphilly—0845 608 8562 328,179 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Cannock—0845 608 8676 105,343 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Canterbury—0845 608 8501 682,831 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Carlisle—0845 608 8545 2,027,586 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Chester—0845 608 8534 87,174 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Chesterfield—0845 608 8521 61,821 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Chippenham—0845 608 8621 289,705 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Chorlton—0845 608 8504 142,994 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Clyde and Fife—0845 608 8582 686,724 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Clydebank—0845 600 1506 377,493 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Coatbridge—0845 608 8645 457,500 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Cosham—0845 608 8573 543,942 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Derby—0845 608 8506 316,780 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Doncaster—0845 608 8508 171,222 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Exeter—0845 608 8564 74,059 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Glasgow (London cstrs)—0845 603 6347 1,114,967 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Gloucester—0845 608 8624 206,053 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Greenock—0845 608 8598 332,350 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Hackney—0845 600 6334 495,246 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Halifax—0845 608 8548 205,380 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Handsworth—0845 608 8648 412,680 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Hanley—0845 608 8673 441,095 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Hastings—0845 608 8757 198,923 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Hull—0845 608 8546 640,692 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Huyton—0845 608 8535 90,092 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Hyde—0845 608 8526 203,783 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Ilford—0845 600 2612 284,008 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Kilmarnock—0845 608 8632 325,592 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Leeds—0845 608 8590 363,403 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Leicester—0845 608 8525 388,509 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Lincoln—0845 608 8532 158,760 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Lisahally—0845 603 5759 168,063 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Llanelli—0845 608 8554 225,116 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Luton—0845 608 8627 129,571 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Mansfield—0845 608 8518 105,781 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Makerfield—0845 377 6001 883,299 
		
	
	
		
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Merthyr Tydfil—0845 608 8552 169,469 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Newport—0845 608 8569 389,834 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Norwich—0845 608 8571 141,587 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Nottingham—0845 608 8528 444,304 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Newcastle—0845 608 8642 532,839 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Oldham—0845 608 8523 346,887 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Preston—0845 608 8524 559,422 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Peterborough—0845 608 8603 282,034 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Plymouth—0845 603 6095 554,521 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Ramsgate—0845 608 8626 135,674 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SPA) English Ravenhurst—0845 608 8657 480,111 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Sheffield—0845 600 1267 157,555 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English St Austell—0845 608 8578 459,575 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English St Helens—0845 608 8503 112,351 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Stockton—0845 600 1651 633,691 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Sunderland—0845 608 8637 945,569 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Stratford—0845 600 0148 624,002 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Totton—0845 608 8620 294,357 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Walsall—0845 602 0206 351,646 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Watford—0845 608 8583 354,734 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Wellingborough—0845 609 4904 263,319 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Wolverhampton—0845 600 3115 689,929 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) 'English Worcester—0845 608 8665 249,505 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Worthing—0845 608 8715 325,830 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English Wrexham—0845 600 3016 615,287 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) English York—0845 608 8550 133,446 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) Welsh Welsh—0845 600 3018 5,283 
			 Primary Benefits Enquiry (inc SDA) Text 0845 608 8551 Not available 
			 JCP Switchboard English 0845 604 3719 12,091,046 
			 JCP Switchboard Welsh 0845 604 4248 2,238 
			 JCP Switchboard Text Same as PB 0845  
			 Bereavement Benefit Only English Dover—0845 608 8601 139,037 
			 Bereavement Benefit Only English Arbroath—0845 608 8602 12,991 
			 Bereavement Benefit Only English Wrexham—0845 608 8605 2,645 
			 Bereavement Benefit Only Welsh Welsh—0845 608 8772 69 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit English Ayr—0845 608 8967 5,197 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit English Castleford—0845 758 5433 2,304 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit English Hartlepool—0845 600 1587 62,751 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit English Barrow in Furness—0845 603 1358 4,984 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit English Sutton in Ashfield—0845 608 8779 66,681 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Text Same as PB 0845 5,633 
			 Future Pension Centre English 0845 3000 168 569,891 
			 Future Pension Centre Text 0845 3000 169 Not available 
			 National Pension Centre English 0845 301 3011 123,646 
			 National Pension Centre Text 0845 301 3012 Not available 
			 Pension Tracing Service English 0845 600 2537 61,004 
			 State Pension Equalisation English 0845 600 5362 2,338 
			 International Pension Centre English 0845 601 0008 519,841 
			 Future Pension Centre - Overseas English 0845 601 0322 42,583 
			 Pension Changes English 0845 60 60 265 4,773,460 
			 Pension Changes Welsh 0845 60 60 275 3,920 
			 Pension Changes Text English 0845 60 60 285 Not available 
			 Pension Changes . Text Welsh 0845 60 60 295 Not available 
			 National Pension Centre - Winter Fuel English 08459 15 15 15 162,203 
			 DLA and AA—Motability English 0845 602 0197 24,810 
			 DLA and AA—3rd Party English 0845 9000 121 100,809 
			 DLA and AA Main Line English 08457 123 456 4,712,526 
			 DLA and AA Main Line Text 08457 22 44 33 Not available 
			 Carers Allowance English 0845 608 4321 1,119,843 
			 Carers Allowance Text 0845 604 5312 Not available 
			 PIP Enquiries English/Welsh 0845 850 3322 389,554 
		
	
	
		
			 Universal Credit Helpdesk English 0845 600 0723 15,337 
			 BLS DCSIIB — 0845 600 2817 24,009 
			 BLS ISJSA — 0845 600 9591 25,727 
			 BLSWFNR — 0845 600 2865 17,460 
			 TPP — 0845 600 2859 17,472 
			 BLSOSEAS/CTS — 0845 600 2867 1,776 
			 HR Payroll Line—internal — 0845 xxxxxxx 292,268 
			 HR payroll line—internal (textphone) — 0845 xxxxxxx Not available 
			 HR Payment Solutions Helpline—internal — 0845 xxxxxxx Not available 
			 Debt Recovery — 0845 8500293 1,113,789 
			 Recovery From Estates — 0845 8500051 84,896 
			 Eligible Loans Deduction Scheme — 0845 6037671 4,925 
			 Debt Management Textphone  0845 6046697 Calls diverted into the Debt Recovery line and included in the 0845 8500293 volumes above 
		
	
	The Child Maintenance Group answered 3,340,300 calls to its main inbound service lines from July 2012 to June 2013.

Universal Credit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to prevent fraud in the universal credit pilots.

Esther McVey: Fraud prevention is a key design principle for the universal credit pathfinder and a number of steps have been built into the business process to deliver this. All new universal credit claims are subject to identity verification at face to face interviews at the outset and claimants are required to produce documentation to verify their circumstances. There is then a further scrutiny of claims using a rule-based data matching service that directs the requirement for any additional documentary evidence or specialist attention where indicated.
	Once in payment all claims are regularly checked for the potential for heightened risk based on unreported changes and new information being available, and referred for specialist intervention where required.

Universal Credit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people he expects to be claiming universal credit in April 2014.

Esther McVey: The Department published the strategy for releasing official statistics on universal credit in September 2013 and this is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics
	As outlined in the strategy, DWP officials are currently quality assuring data for universal credit and aim to release an initial set of official statistics on universal credit claimants before the end of 2013. These official statistics will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Statistics Code of Practice and the precise release date will be pre-announced as soon as possible.
	Statisticians within DWP and Office for National Statistics are working closely to ensure that information on universal credit claimants can be included within the claimant count as soon as possible.

Universal Credit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether (a) he, (b) his ministerial colleagues, (c) a Parliamentary Private Secretary to any Minister in his Department, (d) any of his Department's special advisers and (e) officials in his Department saw a draft or any part of a draft of the Committee of Public Account's Report, Universal Credit: Early Progress, HC 619, published on 7 November 2013 in advance of its full publication.

Esther McVey: No. The Department has seen only the final report.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when permitted work will cease to be allowed under the universal credit programme.

Esther McVey: Instead of a complex set of rules around permitted work in employment support allowance, universal credit provides work incentives for claimants who are disabled or have health conditions through a generous work allowance, topped up by universal credit's flat taper rate.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to introduce an engineering approach to security in the IT system for universal credit.

Esther McVey: The approach taken to securing the universal credit IT system is to design in and build proportionate, high-quality and cost-effective security controls and to ensure that business processes are 'secure by design'. This approach ensures that security is intrinsic to the IT development and that security controls are risk based and proportionate to the threat to the system that exists at any given point in time.
	Security engineering best practices associated with specification, design, build and quality are being applied in universal credit. These include the use of security 'models' which are iteratively refined, and which describe the current threats at any given stage, the definition of a security architecture which acts as a design baseline for the security services, the specification of security acceptance criteria for use in automated testing and the fact that security specialists are embedded into the development process. These approaches combine to ensure that controls are integrated into the design and delivery of the IT system and are proportionate to the threat at each stage of roll out.

Universal Credit

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he will take to ensure that local authorities have the relevant information to know when housing tenants have been transferred to universal credit; by what means he expects local authorities to know where to apply switchback arrangements for the avoidance of arrears; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: We will announce transitional arrangements for the managed migration of existing housing benefit claimants to universal credit in due course. We have a process in place to notify the relevant LA when a HB claimant becomes a UC claimant so that the HB claim can be closed down1.
	Under normal circumstances2, local authorities will not administer a claimant's housing costs once that person has migrated to universal credit, so the Department will not inform local authorities about new benefit claims. Local authorities will not operate the "switchback arrangements" (managed payments of housing costs to landlords).
	Where a local authority is a claimant's landlord, it is the responsibility of the tenant to advise the LA of their universal credit claim. When a tenant reaches a specified level of rent arrears, LAs should, like other landlords, contact the UC Service Centre with evidence of the arrears to request DWP intervention3.
	1 Someone currently getting HB can become “a UC claimant” if they become the partner of an existing UC claimant.
	2 The exception is that, in the short term, LAs will continue to meet the housing costs for claimants living in supported exempt accommodation within the housing benefit system.
	3 DWP interventions are:
	(a) A re-assessment of a claimant's budgeting capability when they have built up arrears equivalent to one month's rent. This may result in personal budgeting support or a time-limited alternative payment arrangement, if the tenant is persistently underpaying; and
	(b) Time-limited managed payments of the UC housing costs to landlords when a tenant has built up arrears equivalent to two months' rent.

Universal Credit

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential effect of universal credit on the ability of women to leave a violent relationship; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Government is committed to tackling domestic violence and to providing better support for victims. It is our intention that universal credit will not cause a reduction in support levels for victims of domestic violence.
	Universal credit radically simplifies the way that means-tested benefits are calculated and delivered. It is a more efficient and effective welfare system—one that delivers benefits more quickly and easily to claimants. This helps those who are fleeing domestic violence to obtain the financial support that they need more quickly.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average waiting time is in Pathfinder districts between receipt of a successful completed new claim for universal credit and receipt of the first payment.

Esther McVey: Under universal credit claimants should receive their first payment no longer than one month and seven days after their date of claim. To date all successfully completed claims are receiving payment on time.

Universal Credit

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claim universal credit.

Esther McVey: The Department published the strategy for releasing official statistics on universal credit in September 2013.
	We intend to release an initial set of official statistics on universal credit pathfinder claimants on 3 December in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority code of practice.

Universal Credit

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress he has made on introducing universal credit more widely.

Esther McVey: Our priority has always been the safe and secure delivery of universal credit.
	This started with the successful launch of the pathfinder in April 2013, and has continued with a controlled expansion from last month—which saw universal credit roll out to Hammersmith, alongside the claimant commitment to around 100 jobcentres a month.
	We will be announcing further delivery plans shortly.

Winter Fuel Payments: Republic of Ireland

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications from Irish citizens have been made to the winter fuel payment scheme in each county in 2012-13.

Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
	Information on the number of winter fuel payments paid in Ireland is in the document “Winter Fuel Payment and Winter Fuel Payment expenditure by EEA country and Switzerland” which is available on the internet at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/winter-fuel-payments-by-eea-country

Work Capability Assessment: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of fit for work capability assessments have been overturned on appeal in (a) each Welsh county and (b) each constituency in Wales in each year between 2008 and 2012.

Michael Penning: Statistics on the number and proportion of work capability assessments (WCA) that were successfully appealed, where the initial WCA decision was ‘fit for work', in Wales can be found in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of fit for work decisions and outcomes of appeals heard against fit for work decisions at initial WCA for new ESA claims: October 2008 to May 2012—Wales 
			   Outcome of appeals heard on fit for work decisions 
			  Total caseload with a fit for work decision (a) Caseload for initial decision overturned (b) Caseload for initial decision upheld (c) Proportion of all fit for work decisions overturned (b/a) Percentage Proportion of fit for work appeals heard decisions overturned (b/b+c) Percentage 
			 October to December 2008 2,700 500 800 17 36 
			 January to December 2009 17,500 2,900 5,100 17 36 
			 January to December 2010 16,200 2,500 4,300 16 37 
			 January to December 2011 14,500 2,300 4,000 16 37 
			 January to May 2012 6,500 800 1,300 13 40 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are for initial assessments only and caseload data have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Percentages are shown to the nearest whole number. 2. Data for 2012 includes claims that started from 1 January 2012 to 31 May 2012. 3. Data on appeals includes ESA claims up to the end of May 2012 (the latest month where we have sufficient volumes of appeals heard to include in the publication) where the person claiming has been assessed to be fit for work, they subsequently appeal the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by Tribunals Service. 4. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard. Therefore these figures should be treated as emerging findings rather than final at this stage. 5. Information on appeals against repeat assessment, incapacity benefit reassessment and work related activity group outcomes are not included. Source: Department for Work and Pensions benefit administration datasets. 
		
	
	The information requested for local authority and parliamentary constituency are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussion he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice about employment support for ex-offenders through the Work programme; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions met the Secretary of State for Justice to discuss the Transforming Rehabilitation programme, and employment support for ex-offenders through the Work programme.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of payments made by his Department in respect of the Work programme which has been paid, either directly or via a prime provider, to voluntary sector providers; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Department's accounts do not contain data that would allow specific analysis of the cash flows to subcontractors of prime providers. This includes any voluntary sector providers delivering the Work programme.
	An independent review of voluntary sector providers in the Work programme is currently being undertaken by a 'Best Practice Group' which is being led by Andrew Sells, an independent adviser. The review will report back to the Minister for Employment by spring 2014.
	There are no immediate plans to make an statement.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) private sector bodies, (b) voluntary sector bodies and (c) local authorities are engaged in the delivery of the Work programme; and what proportion of Work programme support each group represents.

Esther McVey: Of the 40 Work programme contracts, 35 (87.5%) are delivered by 15 prime providers from the private sector, three (7.5%) by two from the voluntary and community sector, and two (5%) by one public sector body. The latter is not a local authority.
	Details on the organisations helping to deliver the Work programme through prime providers' supply chains are published periodically. The latest information, as at 31 March 2013, can be found through the following link. The proportions in the private, voluntary and public sectors can be calculated from this data, with local authorities identified by name:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/organisations-that-supply-services-to-the-work-programme-providers

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2013, Official Report, column 721W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, if he will make it his policy to improve his Department's systems for collating and recording statistics for people killed in drone strikes in Afghanistan by the UK.

Mark Francois: No. The Ministry of Defence does not hold a detailed record of figures for insurgent or civilian casualties in Afghanistan because of the difficulty and risks that would be involved in collecting robust data.

Aircraft Carriers

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the contribution made by the capabilities of the new Queen Elizabeth class carriers to the development of a new strategic maritime capability for the UK.

Mark Francois: The Queen Elizabeth (QE) Class aircraft carriers will be multi-role platforms, able to project power and influence. Our strategy for operating the aircraft carriers is based on the concept known as Carrier Enabled Power Projection (CEPP). CEPP consists of core roles including Carrier Strike, Littoral Manoeuvre operations and scalable combinations of both of these. This will allow the Carrier Task Group to conduct operations at sea or deep inland, while still being able to undertake Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEOs), humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and international defence engagement.
	QE Class carriers, operating as part of a Response Force Task Group (RFTG), will support the projection of air and amphibious power in support of national influence and future overseas operations. They will give us operational versatility and interoperability in all environments, with the ability to deploy to regions of political choosing at very short notice as part of joint, multi-national and multi-agency forces.

Armed Forces: Vehicles

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vehicles back loaded through the reverse supply chain to the UK from Afghanistan are compliant for use on UK roads; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: All of the vehicles used by our service personnel in Afghanistan have been approved for use in theatre and for training in the UK for current operations.
	All vehicles back-loaded from Afghanistan are subject to inspection and repair to ensure they are fit for use including, where appropriate, for travel on UK public roads. In addition, those vehicles bought specifically for Afghanistan will be subject to a modification programme to enable them to be used on UK public roads, or to be operated under appropriate restrictions.
	As at 8 November 2013, 527 vehicles have undergone, or are undergoing, the inspection and repair process.

Armed Forces: Vehicles

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many A&B vehicles back-loaded through the reverse supply chain to (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster to be held in short-term storage have (i) been inspected by REME personnel, (ii) had all repairs completed prior to storage and (iii) been serviced in accordance with category 6 of the relevant Army Equipment Support Publication to date; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: All A&B vehicles redeployed from Afghanistan are back-loaded through the reverse supply chain to the Herrick Exchange Point at Ministry of Defence (MOD) Lyneham for short-term storage pending call forward to Warminster for inspection and repair. A&B vehicles other than those redeployed from Afghanistan are back-loaded through the reverse supply chain to MOD Ashchurch for inspection and repair as directed by the Front Line Commands on a priority and value for money basis. All inspections and repairs are conducted by the Defence Support Group in accordance with category 6 of the relevant Army Equipment Support Publication. Although there is no requirement to complete all repairs or servicing tasks prior to short-term storage the status of all equipment is established before it is stored.
	Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer personnel do not inspect or repair any A&B vehicles redeployed through the reverse supply chain.

Armed Forces: Young People

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Government's response to paragraph 24 of the Defence Committee's report on the Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 4: Education of Service Personnel, HC185, when the cost-benefit analysis of the recruitment of personnel under the age of 18 will take place; and what the terms of reference will be.

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library details of the work conducted by his Department to date on the cost-benefit analysis of the recruitment of under 18's; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: In line with the Defence Select Committee's recommendations in the report on the Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 4: Education of Service Personnel (HC185) published on 18 July 2013 and the Government response to that report, a study is being commissioned to carry out the cost-benefit analysis of the recruitment of personnel aged under 18. The Army is being tasked to conduct the study on a tri-service basis and to provide an initial report early in the new year. The terms of reference are yet to be finalised.

BAE Systems

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost of restructuring the shipbuilding agreement with BAE Systems.

Philip Dunne: Restructuring of the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier programme with the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, and the wider shipbuilding agreement with BAE Systems Maritime—naval ships, included a complete re-evaluation of costs, build schedule and management arrangements. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) engaged specialist external advisers to provide business analysis and legal support to this process.
	These advisers continue to support the MOD as we move to enact commercially the agreements made. As this work is continuing, the final estimated cost of this support is not yet available.

BAE Systems

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the suspension of the Terms of Business Agreement with BAE Systems during the construction of the offshore patrol vessels means there will be no mechanisms by which BAE can claim costs for a lack of work;
	(2)  on how many occasions BAE Systems has written to his Department to notify it of a (a) Key Industrial Capability Trigger Event and (b) Key Industrial Capability Notice under the terms of the 2009 Terms of Business Agreement;
	(3)  on how many occasions his Department has been served with a Key Industrial Capability notice by BAE Systems under the terms of the 2009 Terms of Business Agreement; and what the cost to the public purse of each such occasion was.

Philip Dunne: There has been one occasion when BAE Systems Maritime—Naval Ships (BAES MNS) has served the Ministry of Defence (MOD) with a Key Industrial Capability (KIC) Trigger Event Notice. This event related to a shortfall in ship support workload.
	The company has served one payment notice resulting from this same workload shortfall, which was being assessed when agreement was reached with the company on the future of UK warship building, an agreement that effectively suspended the Terms of Business Agreement (TOBA).
	Under the terms of the Commercial Principles Agreement (CoPA), which underpins the agreement on the future of UK warship building, BAES MNS has agreed to waive any outstanding claims for KIC payment. There has therefore, been no cost to the MOD in respect of KIC notices since the TOBA was signed in 2009.
	Based on current workload assumptions, the TOBA will remain suspended and no KIC payments will be payable during the construction of the Offshore Patrol Vessels.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence adheres to the national minimum wage when setting pay scales. Of the Department's civilian staff, including their location based allowances, 10 are paid below the Living Wage Foundation (LWF) proposed rate of £8.80 per hour in London and 1,240 are paid below the suggested LWF national rate of £7.65 per hour(1). Contracted workers' rates of pay, where paid by their parent company or recruitment agency, are not visible to the Department. We employ no direct employees on zero hours contracts.
	(1 )Rounding—figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Cyprus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the comparative criminal penalties for illegal bird killing in (a) the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas and (b) the Republic of Cyprus.

Mark Francois: In accordance with Her Majesty's Government's 1960 Declaration of the Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas, laws in the Sovereign Bases Areas (SBAs) reflect as far as possible those applicable in the Republic of Cyprus. The maximum penalty applicable under the SBA's Game and Wild Bird Ordinances for, among other offences, the offence of intentionally or recklessly pursuing, killing, injuring or capturing a wild bird was amended in 2013 to bring it into line with the Republic's Protection and Management of Game and Wild Birds (Amendment) Law 2012. While the SBAs did not, for practical reasons, introduce the system of penalty points and fixed penalties contained in the Republican law, this does not constrain the powers available to the court in dealing with such offences.

Defence Equipment and Support

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his American counterpart on the Defence Reform Bill and the potential move of Defence Equipment and Support to a Government owned, contract operated entity.

Philip Dunne: The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) meets with Defence Secretary Hagel regularly, most recently at the NATO Defence ministerial meeting in October 2013, where a range of topics were discussed.
	In April 2013, I met with Frank Kendall, the US National Armaments Director to discuss the future of Defence Equipment and Support, and Bernard Gray, Chief of Defence Materiel, has also met with Mr Kendall numerous times over the past year as part of a comprehensive engagement plan. In addition, my team has been working closely with the taskforce which Mr Kendall has established specifically to consider the Materiel Strategy with us. We will continue to engage at all levels as the current phase of the programme develops.

Egypt

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many joint training exercises have been held between UK and Egyptian armed forces since 2010.

Mark Francois: There have been no recorded joint training exercises between UK and Egyptian armed forces since 2010.

Electronic Warfare

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the defence cyber protection partnership.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has reviewed the progress of the partnership at ministerial level and remains focused on the desired outcomes. These are senior leaders being able to make better informed decisions to mitigate against and manage the impact of cyber attacks; an ability to make these decisions through the use of a skilled work force and appropriate processes and technology; and UK Defence being able to function effectively despite the increasing number and sophistication of cyber attacks.
	Since the launch of the partnership, the number of industry partners has increased from six to 12. The Department’s senior information risk owner assesses that there is already an increased level of effectiveness through greater awareness and responsiveness in the way that industry cyber incidents are detected and managed, although there is still more to be done.

France

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when (a) he was made aware of the French military manoeuvres which took place in the south-west on 5 November 2013, (b) HMNB Devonport was advised of the plans of the French army and (c) Devon and Cornwall constabulary was informed that the French military were undertaking manoeuvres in the UK and would need an escort.

Mark Francois: holding answer 11 November 2013
	The hon. Member may know that in 2010 the British Government signed a Defence treaty with France to bring about closer co-operation. Following on from this, the French military presence in the south-west is part of a joint exercise with British troops that is due to continue until 10 December 2013. The Ministry of Defence has been planning the exercise for over 12 months, and the Devon and Cornwall constabulary were informed of the vehicle movements on 18 October 2013. The Army arranged for the Royal Military Police to escort the convoy, and the Devon and Cornwall constabulary chose to provide an additional escort.
	There was no requirement for HM Naval Base Devonport to be advised of the exercise.

Gibraltar: Spain

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions have been imposed by the Spanish government on the movements of NATO military aircraft and warships in (a) the vicinity of Gibraltar and (b) transit between Spain and Gibraltar in the last 12 months; and what recent steps he has taken to have such restrictions lifted.

Mark Francois: The NATO Standardised Agreement (STANAG) 1100 sets out the procedures for visits to NATO and non-NATO ports by naval ships of NATO nations. This agreement contains a reservation, made by the Spanish Government, under which Spain reserves the right not to allow NATO ships to visit Spanish ports directly from Gibraltar and not to allow NATO ships to visit Spanish ports if they are going directly to Gibraltar. Subsequently this reservation, which has been in place since 1989, continues to be used by the Spanish Government to prevent such movements. Similarly, any request by military aircraft from NATO (or other) nations, which has Gibraltar as a departure or arrival airfield, to overfly or land in Spain is routinely denied by Spanish authorities. We understand that NATO has no plans specifically to discuss the restrictions imposed by Spain on NATO ships and aircraft.

Mali

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many (a) military and (b) civilian defence personnel and what military capabilities or components were committed to support the French-led Operation Serval to free territory in Mali from control by rebel and terrorist forces;
	(2)  what (a) military, (b) civilian defence personnel, (c) military capabilities and components and (d) financial contributions are committed to support MINUSMA; and what his policy is on such contributions in future;
	(3)  what (a) military, (b) civilian defence personnel and (c) financial contributions have been committed to (i) EU-led and (ii) other police and military training missions in Mali or in other countries to train security personnel to be deployed to peace keeping roles in Mali.

Mark Francois: At its peak in late January 2013, in support of operations in Mali the UK had approximately 200 military personnel supporting a C17 military air transport aircraft, a Sentinel airborne ground surveillance aircraft and in reconnaissance and liaison roles.
	In support of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) the UK has committed two military officers to UN Headquarters posts. MINUSMA is paid for from the UN peacekeeping budget, of which the UK's financial contribution is 6.8% (UK contribution to MINUSMA equates to $25 million for financial year 2013-14). There are no current plans to alter our relative financial contribution, although we are assisting UN efforts to reduce the overall budget through efficiency measures.
	In support of the EU training mission (EUTM), the largest UK commitment was approximately 40 military personnel in headquarters and training roles. This has recently reduced to around 30.
	The UK has to date committed £2.5 million to the EUTM from the start of the mission in February 2013 to the end of December 2013. The UK has not contributed to any other police or military training missions in support of peace keeping in Mali.
	Throughout the operation there have, at any one time, been fewer than 10 UK civilian defence personnel deployed to Africa in support of Op SERVAL, MINUSMA and the EUTM.

Mali

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the extension of the mandate of the EU Training Mission in Mali beyond the initial 15 month period.

Mark Francois: The EU Training Mission in Mali is successfully providing much needed training and support to the Malian armed forces. The Council of the European Union will take a decision on future Common Security and Defence Policy activity in Mali in early 2014. UK Ministers have not yet taken a final decision.

Merlin Helicopters

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to ensure a smooth transition of the Merlin Mk 3/3a from the Royal Airforce to the Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force in 2014-15.

Philip Dunne: A dedicated team from the Joint Helicopter Command has been working for approximately two years with Royal Navy and Royal Air Force elements in order to oversee, plan and execute the smooth transfer of the Merlin Mk 3/3A. The Merlin Transition programme, which will see the transfer of command and service specific operating practises, is progressing in accordance with the endorsed plan and will see this transfer take place in the third quarter of 2014.

Military Bases

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many agency workers are employed at (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster to maintain and monitor short term storage of A&B vehicles in accordance with AESP2300-A-401-031; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: The numbers of agency personnel currently maintaining and monitoring short-term storage of A&B vehicles in accordance with AESP 2300-A-050-013 are as follows:
	MOD Ashchurch—72
	MOD Lyneham—7
	No vehicles are stored at Warminster or Donnington.

Navy: Military Bases

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the transfer of deep maintenance work from Plymouth to Portsmouth.

Philip Dunne: Major packages of work for Royal Navy warships are allocated by the Surface Ship Support Alliance, an alliance between the Ministry of Defence and industrial partners at the naval bases. These allocations are based on what is best for the maritime enterprise as a whole, taking account of factors such as industrial capacity, past performance and the ability to meet Royal Navy crew harmony guidelines. Generally, repair and maintenance of operational warships is carried out in a vessel's base port.
	Engineering services are provided at Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport by Babcock Marine and at HMNB Portsmouth by BAE Systems Maritime—naval ships. The aim is in general to avoid alterations to allocations of work between the naval bases as such changes disturb the balance of work force loading and have implications for overall value for money.

Nuclear Power

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work his Department is currently undertaking with EDF Energy in the training of staff with special nuclear skills.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence is not currently undertaking any such training.

Philippines

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support HMS Daring will provide in the Philippines; and how long he expects HMS Daring to be so deployed.

Mark Francois: HMS Daring will assist the Department for International Development (DFID) in delivering humanitarian aid, including use of its helicopter to conduct reconnaissance of outlying communities, transport supplies and personnel. It also has small-scale engineering and first-aid capabilities to support specific tasks.
	The Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with DFID to identify the most appropriate assets to support their operations as the situation develops. It is too early to predict how long particular capabilities will be required.

Philippines

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on deploying the Royal Fleet Auxiliary to support humanitarian operations in the Philippines.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence is working closely with the Department for International Development to provide appropriate support to their operations, including identifying any requirement to deploy Royal Fleet Auxiliary assets.

Philippines

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to send members of the Military Stabilisation and Support Group to assist in the aftermath of the recent typhoon in the Philippines.

Mark Francois: One individual from the Military Stabilisation and Support Group has already deployed as part of the defence team working with the Department for International Development in the Philippines to facilitate any requirement for military assistance.
	We will continue to monitor the most appropriate ways in which the Ministry of Defence can support the relief effort.

Portsmouth Dockyard

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussion he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and (b) BAE Systems Ltd in respect of innovative ways to protect the collective skill base of the workforce at the Portsmouth Dockyard by diversification into marine energy technology systems and other related low carbon energy systems.

Philip Dunne: Wide-ranging discussions have been held throughout the negotiations with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and BAE Systems Maritime-Naval Ships about ways to mitigate the impact of the decision. Any specific plans for diversification are a matter for the company.

Portsmouth Dockyard

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the secondary and tertiary economic impact on the travel to work areas for the Portsmouth Naval shipyard prior to his announcement on reforms in UK shipbuilding priorities on 6 November 2013; and if he will publish copies on his departmental website.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence recognises that there will be economic consequences for Portsmouth and the surrounding area as a result of the agreement with BAE Systems over the future warship building programme announced on 6 November 2013, Official Report, columns 251-54. The future of Portsmouth Naval Base is secure, however, and it will continue to employ around 11,000 people in total following BAE Systems' rationalisation of its shipbuilding capability.
	Extensive discussions have taken place across Government with the aim of mitigating the economic impact so far as possible. This is reflected in the written statement released by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark) on 12 November 2013, Official 
	Report, columns 32-33WS, of a City Deal for Southampton and Portsmouth that will provide £953 million of investment into the area and create more than 17,000 jobs.

QinetiQ

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department had with QinetiQ before conclusion of the agreement on Long Term Partnering prior to its announced restructuring and partial sell-off.

Philip Dunne: QinetiQ was formed from the privatised part of the former Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in July 2001. The 25 year, Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) contract between the Ministry of Defence and QinetiQ came into force in April 2003. During the intervening period, there were extensive negotiations between the Ministry of Defence and QinetiQ, including during the time before and after the partial sale of the company to the Carlyle Group in February 2003. There have been continuous discussions between both parties since then regarding the operation of the LTPA contract.

Reserve Forces

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with large public and private sector employers on providing support to reservists and potential reservists.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has engaged widely with other Government Departments to ensure that central Government is an exemplar in terms of supporting employees who serve as reservists and promoting the benefits of Reserve Service to its employees. The Department is also engaging with local authorities, including the Local Government Association, and other bodies, across the wider public sector.
	We have been in discussions with large private sector employers and employer organisations, and the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), recently challenged the UK's largest 100 companies each to employ at least 100 Reservists. The Corporate Covenant allows businesses to pledge their public support for the armed forces community, including an opportunity to express their support for Reservists. Five major employers organisations (the British Chambers of Commerce, the Building Societies Association, the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors and the Federation of Small Businesses) pledged their support for the Corporate Covenant at its launch in June 2013 and since then over 50 businesses have signed up.
	The National Employer Advisory Board provides informed independent strategic advice to Ministers, the Chiefs of Staff and the Reserves community about how the Department can most effectively gain and maintain the support of employers for Britain's Reserve Forces. It also facilitates engagement with the business community, senior opinion formers and the employers of Reservists to get the defence message across to the commercial world.

Armed Forces: Complaints

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many service complaints made in the (a) Royal Naval Reserve, (b) Royal Air Force Reserve and (c) Territorial Army in each of the last three years achieved resolution at each level of the process, by level;
	(2)  how many service complaints made in the (a) Royal Naval Reserve, (b) Royal Air Force Reserve and (c) Territorial Army in each of the last three years failed to meet the timeline for settlement;
	(3)  how many service complaints made in the (a) Royal Naval Reserve, (b) Royal Air Force Reserve and (c) Territorial Army were made in the last three years; and what the average processing time was for such complaints;
	(4)  what steps he plans to take to improve the speed and management of armed forces service complaints; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) remains committed to ensuring that the service complaints process is as fair, effective and efficient as it can be. Since the introduction of the new service complaints system in 2008, the MOD has sought to learn from best practice and improve the manner in which complaints are managed. As part of this focus on continual improvement, in January 2013 a new system for service complaints commissioner (SCC) oversight of the complaints process took effect, requiring the services to inform the SCC of cases likely to take longer than 24 weeks to resolve.
	The SCC's annual report for 2012, laid in the House on 21 March 2013, and the House of Commons Defence Select Committee's report on the work of the SCC (HC 720), published in February 2013, both recommended changes to the role. The MOD is therefore currently considering, with the SCC, how the role might be developed and reformed. That work is focusing on how any improvements in the future could make the system more effective and efficient, particularly in tackling delays.
	Service complaints are recorded on the joint personnel administration system, but an exercise to distinguish complaints made by reservists from those made by regulars could be performed only at disproportionate cost.

Shipbuilding

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what his policy is towards the two properties leased to BAE Systems in Portsmouth Dockyard once the contract on such buildings expires in September 2014;
	(2)  how his Department plans to use the shipbuilding shed (a) once BAE Systems finish its current work and (b) after the contract expires in November 2014; and how his Department intends to use other buildings no longer required for shipbuilding work after November 2014.

Philip Dunne: Following BAE Systems’ decision to consolidate its shipbuilding business on the Clyde, the company has confirmed that complex warship building operations in Portsmouth will cease in the second half of 2014. The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) current planning assumption is that the facilities used for this activity will be returned to the Department.
	Separate leases covering the facilities used for the manufacture and repair of the Royal Navy's boats and raiding craft, and for the wider facilities used to support and maintain the Royal Navy's warships, are due to expire in 2014. These activities will continue at the naval base and negotiations regarding extensions to the relevant leases are at an advanced stage.
	Operational and security considerations will influence the extent to which the MOD can exploit unused parts of the naval base estate for commercial use, and we are looking at options to support employment-generating activity both in the dockyard and on adjoining MOD-owned land. This work is at an early stage and it would therefore be premature to comment on the options that might be available.

Stephen Allbutt

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  for what reason his Department has not maintained the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt to a decent standard;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt is maintained to a decent standard;
	(3)  what maintenance his Department has conducted at the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt.

Anna Soubry: The Department is maintaining the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt. It was last inspected in May 2013 and will be inspected again in November 2013 as part of a routine inspection regime.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Philip Dunne: The following table depicts the number of telephone lines with the prefixes 0845, 0844 and 0843 that the Ministry of Defence operates and sponsors through the Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service (DFTS) contract with British Telecom (BT). It is possible, albeit unlikely, that additional premium rate telephone lines are used outside of the DFTS contract, but this information is not held centrally. Alternative numbers are available for those numbers in the table and are charged at the BT peak residential rate. Costs from mobile phones would depend on the mobile package.
	
		
			 Telephone number prefix Operated by DFTS Sponsored by DFTS How many calls received in last 12 months 
			 0845 3 18 195,733 
			 0844 0 1 730 
			 0843 0 0 0

Trident

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral answer of 4 November 2013, what the cost to his Department in (a) time, (b) staffing costs and (c) any other categories was of the Trident Alternatives Review.

Philip Hammond: (holding answer 7 November 2013): When the Trident Alternatives review was announced, it was decided that costs would lie where they fell, within existing budgets of all relevant Departments. The Ministry of Defence did not centrally record the costs relating to the review. A comprehensive response could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Trident Missiles

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much he expects his Department to spend on the D-5 missile life extension programme in each of the next 10 years.

Philip Dunne: Forecast and planned expenditure on the D5 missile life extension programme for the current and next two financial years (FY) are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
			 2013-14 21.1 (forecast) 
			 2014-15 31.7 (planned) 
			 2015-16 37.5 (planned) 
		
	
	Spending plans for FY 2016-17 and beyond have not yet been agreed and will be set as part of the Government's spending review process. Therefore, I am withholding details of the proposed spending beyond 2015-16 as to release this information would be likely to impact upon the formulation of Government policy.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to paragraph 78 of the report on unmanned arial vehicles of the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-terrorism and Human Rights to the UN General Assembly published September 2013; what assessment he has made of the UK's compliance with that paragraph's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Mark Francois: We are aware of the UN Special Rapporteur's report published in September 2013 and are reviewing our practices against the position set out in paragraph 78. However, the UK already has strict procedures, updated in the light of experience, to minimise the risk of civilian casualties and to ensure that any use of unmanned aerial vehicles that may have resulted in civilian casualties is identified and effectively investigated.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for Navy Command's development of the Marine Unmanned Air Systems Strategy Paper.

Mark Francois: The Maritime Unmanned Air Systems Strategy Paper is expected to be endorsed by Navy Command by the end of December 2013.

Veterans: Teachers

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made with the Department for Education in developing the Troops to Teachers scheme.

Anna Soubry: Since the announcement of the Troops to Teachers programme in England in the Schools White Paper, published in November 2010 (CM 7980), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department for Education have worked closely together to develop a coherent programme that service leavers are aware of, and can use to access teaching opportunities, with the wider aim of increasing the number of high-quality service leavers joining the teaching profession.
	The new two-year, school-based Troops to Teachers programme for non-graduates, starting in January 2014, is being designed and developed together with a group of outstanding schools and initial teacher training providers, and with the MOD’s resettlement contractor, Career Transition Partnership. It uses a rigorous assessment, selection and recruitment process to identify those non-graduate service leavers with the potential to become outstanding teachers. This process also recognises the professional skills service leavers already have and provides training to make best use of and further develop them in schools. Good progress is currently being made in recruiting eligible service leavers for this scheme.
	Graduate service leavers are able to apply for a place on the School Direct (Salaried) programme; this is an employment-based route into teaching for high quality graduates with three years or more career experience. If a school recruits and employs an eligible graduate service leaver, the school is entitled to a £2,000 incentive payment. We will be monitoring the performance of this graduate scheme over the coming months.

Warships: Shipbuilding

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Scottish Government Ministers on the future of naval shipbuilding on the Clyde.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence has received no representations from Scottish Government Ministers on the future of naval shipbuilding on the Clyde.

World War II: Military Decorations

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been awarded the Bomber Command clasp following a reconsideration of their initial application.

Anna Soubry: As at 12 November 2013, 280 people have been awarded the Bomber Command Clasp following a reconsideration of their initial application.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Helen Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent in total on special advisers to his Department in each year since 2010.

Nicholas Clegg: Information about the costs of Special Advisers working in the Cabinet Office is published each year in the Annual Report and Accounts which are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-annual-reports-and-accounts

Travel

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 658W, on travel, if he will publish a list of all occasions on which he has used military transport for domestic travel since taking office.

Nicholas Clegg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer gave on 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 658W.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 268W, on Afghanistan, how many fluent Pashto speakers her Department currently employs in Afghanistan; what the total annual cost to her Department is of such employees; and how many such fluent Pashto speakers are employed in the Helmand region of Afghanistan.

Justine Greening: DFID Afghanistan employs local staff and fluent Pashto speakers on all projects as appropriate.

Afghanistan

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 268W, on Afghanistan, how many commercial flights currently run each week; when flight services began from the Bost airfield; and how many local businesses have used the airfield for commercial flights to date.

Justine Greening: The Bost industrial business park proposal was originally approved by officials in 2009 at a time when Ministers did not approve spend under £40 million. In 2012 it became clear that the project could no longer be completed within the original timeframe and in good order. To avoid wasting taxpayers' money I decided that UK funding for the project should be cancelled. The completed park designs have been handed over to the Afghan authorities to enable them to pursue the project over a revised time frame.
	The first landing of a commercial flight at Bost airfield was in June 2009. There are currently three commercial flights per week into Bost airfield. DFID does not hold information on the number of local businesses who have used these flight services.

Afghanistan

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 268W, on Afghanistan, whether the airfield has been used to transport any freight from the local area to other regions of Afghanistan.

Justine Greening: The Bost industrial business park proposal was originally approved by officials in 2009 at a time when Ministers did not approve spend under £40 million. In 2012 it became clear that the project could no longer be completed within the original timeframe and in good order. To avoid wasting taxpayers' money I decided that UK funding for the project should be cancelled. The completed park designs have been handed over to the Afghan authorities to enable them to pursue the project over a revised time frame.
	The airfield is not used for freight transport.

Africa

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the programmes to which her Department has provided support in the last three years which have sought to improve and strengthen tax collection systems in African nations.

Lynne Featherstone: The following table lists active or recent DFID programmes which have been designed to strengthen tax collection systems in Africa. The table does not cover all DFID activity as some wider programmes not listed may include elements supporting tax systems. In addition, DFID has set up a Tax Capability Building Unit within HM Revenue and Customs to provide us with an in-house team of tax experts dedicated to working in developing countries with DFID teams. Detailed information on DFID's programmes can be found on the Development Tracker
	http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/
	
		
			 Country Programme(s) 
			 Burundi Support to the revenue authority in Burundi through Trade Mark East Africa 
			 Ethiopia Strategic Support to Civil Service Reform programme (in partnership with HMRC) 
			 Mozambique DFID supports the Central Revenue Authority through a multi-donor common fund 
			 Rwanda Support to the Rwanda Revenue Authority through the Public Financial Management Basket Fund, which includes a component to maximise revenue mobilisation 
			 Sierra Leone DFID provides support to the Sierra Leone National Revenue Authority 
			 South Sudan DFID South Sudan is providing support to Trade Mark East Africa to develop an effective customs service and improve associated trade-related institutions 
			 Southern Africa DFID Southern Africa provides support to a customs modernisation programme led by the World Customs Organisation. This enables the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to support other countries, such as Kenya, Malawi, Angola and South Sudan 
			 Tanzania Support to the Tanzanian Revenue Authority's Tax Modernisation Programme 
			 Uganda DFID has had a longstanding programme of support to the Ugandan Revenue Authority

Cameroon: Central African Republic

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assistance her Department is providing to people in refugee camps on the border between Cameroon and the Central African Republic;
	(2)  what recent reports she has received on the humanitarian situation in eastern Cameroon; and what assessment she has made of the potential threat presented by Seleka forces to the humanitarian effort in eastern Cameroon.

Lynne Featherstone: Since January 2013 approximately 5,000 Central Africans have sought refuge in neighbouring Cameroon, in addition to 85,000 people from the Central African Republic (CAR) that were already there. Over 200,000 people are displaced to CAR's neighbouring countries, including those newly displaced in 2013 and existing refugees.
	The situation remains volatile in areas outside of the capital in CAR The UK is supporting the humanitarian effort by providing core contributions to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), who is providing support to over 90,000 refugees from CAR currently in eastern Cameroon. UNHCR is providing protection and essential services, income-generating activities targeting farmers, grazers, and small businesses and new school facilities are being constructed in existing refugee sites.
	The most pressing needs for those affected by violence in CAR are inside the country where over 394,000 people are internally displaced. Through the UK's contribution of humanitarian aid to the ICRC, Solidarités International and Merlin, the UK is providing improved water and sanitation, healthcare, emergency nutrition, food, shelter and livelihoods support for thousands of people remaining in CAR. We are closely monitoring the humanitarian situation and the UK stands ready to provide further assistance.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many direct employees and contracted workers of her Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Alan Duncan: DFID and its arm’s lengths bodies do not pay any of their employees or directly contracted workers less than the “living wage” as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
	DFID does not have any employees on zero hours contracts.

Disaster Relief

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the UK's humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake in 2010; how this assessment has influenced the UK's current humanitarian support to the Philippines; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: Published in June 2011, the Government's response to Lord Ashdown's Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR) made a series of commitments to improve and reinforce the UK response to humanitarian emergencies.
	A number of lessons were learned from the UK's humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake of 2010, including the importance of preventing and tackling infectious diseases in the period immediately following a disaster. This has directly influenced the Government's decision to deploy a team of 12 UK surgeons and medical staff to provide immediate life-saving assistance in response to the impact of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
	All humanitarian emergencies are different in their characteristics, and the Government's reaction must reflect this. We have committed £50 million in humanitarian support to the Philippines and will keep this under review as the situation becomes clearer.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development to which EU Directives within her Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: There have been no EU directives concerning DFID since May 2010.

India

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will end aid to India following the recent launch of an Indian space mission to Mars.

Alan Duncan: In a written ministerial statement on 9 November 2012, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), informed the House that she would not approve any new financial grant to India. Our existing commitments will complete by 2015. After which aid assistance will only comply of technical assistance and loans to the private sector.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people employed by her Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: At 30 September 2013 the DFID employed four individuals with an undergraduate qualification and one individual with a master's qualification in computer science.

St Helena

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role her Department plays in meeting the cost of any budget overruns in the St Helena Air Access Project.

Alan Duncan: The contract for the airport construction is fixed price and is being delivered to plan. There have been no budget overruns.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 her Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Alan Duncan: DFID uses one 0845 number for UK calls to the Public Enquiry Point. DFID does not record the number of calls made to the 0845 number and no alternative is offered.
	DFID has no telephone lines with the prefix 0844 or 0843.

UNRWA

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether UK aid to UNRWA is used to fund UNRWA political lobbyists.

Alan Duncan: No. It does not.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the right hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, how many people employed by the House of Commons Commission hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

John Thurso: The House of Commons does not hold structured information about the degrees or higher degrees that Commons employees hold.

Westminster Hall

Greg Knight: To ask the right hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what committees of the House are consulted before displays or exhibitions take place in Westminster Hall.

John Thurso: Control of Westminster Hall is vested jointly in the Lord Great Chamberlain, representing Her Majesty the Queen, and in the two Speakers on behalf of the two Houses. These three keyholders have joint authority for deciding on proposals for displays or exhibitions in Westminster Hall. Before making their decision, the keyholders normally seek the advice of the Exhibitions Advisory Group, a group of officials from both Houses of Parliament (bringing together public engagement and heritage expertise). The keyholders may consult other committees as they think appropriate in any case.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Aberdeen North, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many written questions were tabled on each sitting day between 25 June 2009 and 30 October 2009.

John Thurso: The number of parliamentary questions tabled for written answer each sitting day between 25 June 2009 and 25 October 2009 is set out in the following table. In order to present a complete and accurate answer, non-sitting Fridays and recess periods have been included.
	
		
			  Day Written PQs tabled 
			 25 June 2009 Thursday 217 
			 26 June 2009 Friday 41 
			 29 June 2009 Monday 342 
			 30 June 2009 Tuesday 518 
			 1 July 2009 Wednesday 250 
			 2 July 2009 Thursday 381 
			 3 July 2009 Friday 171 
			 6 July 2009 Monday 421 
			 7 July 2009 Tuesday 531 
			 8 July 2009 Wednesday 389 
			 9 July 2009 Thursday 300 
			 10 July 2009 Friday (non sitting) 72 
			 13 July 2009 Monday 417 
			 14 July 2009 Tuesday 603 
			 15 July 2009 Wednesday 460 
			 16 July 2009 Thursday 589 
			 17 July 2009 Friday (non sitting) 94 
			 20 July 2009 Monday 534 
			 21 July 2009 Tuesday 833 
			 2 September 2009 Wednesday (non sitting) 372 
			 7 September 2009 Monday (non sitting) 243 
			 9 September 2009 Wednesday (non sitting) 223 
			 10 September 2009 Thursday (non sitting) 443 
			 9 October 2009 Recess 1,528 
			 12 October 2009 Monday 409 
			 13 October 2009 Tuesday 350 
			 14 October 2009 Wednesday 329 
			 15 October 2009 Thursday 413 
			 16 October 2009 Friday 71 
			 19 October 2009 Monday 336 
			 20 October 2009 Tuesday 330 
			 21 October 2009 Wednesday 379 
			 22 October 2009 Thursday 289 
			 23 October 2009 Friday (non sitting) 95

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Biodiversity

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of necessary crop field margins under the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme on levels of biodiversity.

George Eustice: DEFRA has funded a large number of studies assessing the potential effect of crop field margins on biodiversity under Entry Level Stewardship. The projects have included impacts on rare arable plants, pollinators and their food plants, small mammals and farmland birds. Final reports for these projects can be accessed on DEFRA's science web pages at:
	http://randd.defra.gov.uk/

Bovine Tuberculosis

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge, of 10 October 2013, Official Report, column 280 on bovine tuberculosis, on the basis of what evidence he stated that some of the badgers that have been shot have been desperately sick; and how many and what proportion of the badgers that have been shot to date have (a) undergone a post-mortem sufficient to test for TB infection and (b) been found to have advanced TB.

George Eustice: The Secretary of State's comments about sick badgers relate to the comments made to him by contractors and farmers during the culls.
	A total of 155 badgers were subjected to post mortem examination during the pilot culls as part of the assessment of the humaneness of controlled shooting. Any outward signs of illness or poor condition were noted as part of the procedure. TB testing in culled badgers is not being undertaken as a routine procedure in these pilots as high levels of TB were confirmed in badgers in the regions in which the cull areas are located during the randomised badger cull trial (RBCT).
	However, on a few occasions, testing has been carried out at the specific request of landowners when there has been concern that a culled badger appeared to have been in a poor state of health. As post-mortems and testing have not been completed, the numbers of badgers found to be carrying TB is not known at present. Moreover, conducting conclusive testing for TB in shot carcasses is highly challenging.

Dairy Farming: Dorset

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures his Department has put in place to help the dairy industry in Dorset; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: DEFRA continues to support the UK dairy industry's work in a number of key areas. We have given our full support to the dairy industry's Code of Best Practice for Contractual Relations. The Code already covers in excess of 85% of raw milk production in the UK and is helping to improve contractual relationships between farmers and milk buyers.
	The Government is also providing £5 million worth of new funding under the Rural Economy Grant Scheme for high quality dairy projects which can help dairy farmers explore the potential in new markets through support for collaboration and marketing.
	DEFRA, in partnership with UKTI, has developed the Government's ‘Exports Action Plan' for driving export growth across all farming, food, and drink sectors. The dairy industry has also established the first “Dairy Exports Forum” which is fully supported by this Department.

Dairy Products: Imports

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with other EU member states and the European Commission regarding the draft Regulation amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 900/2008 to correct the anomalies in the test methodology for assessing the content of milk fat in whey protein as set out in article 2(3)b of that Regulation.

George Eustice: Imports of some processed agricultural products incur a duty based on the levels of milk fat and whey protein they contain. European Commission Regulation 900/2008 lays down the methods of analysis for determining these levels. The methods have been challenged by importers of high protein whey products who suggest that they are not reliable when applied to their particular products.
	The Government is working with the European Commission to address the anomalies in the test method in Regulation 900/800 for high protein whey products where the analytical marker present from milk is used to measure milk fat levels and has been chemically modified during the production process. The Commission is looking to amend Regulation 900/08 to take account of these anomalies.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Rogerson: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page. The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v0_1.pdf
	In the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington)’s written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.
	Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to Title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol 21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to Title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

Fires: Northumberland

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations were received by Ministers in his Department relating to the regulation by the Environment Agency of the storage of carpets at the former Thrunton brickworks, Northumberland; and whether any action was taken in response to such representations.

Dan Rogerson: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), received one representation about an application to the Environment Agency for end-of-waste status for combustible briquettes produced from a blend of waste carpet and wood. The Secretary of State replied advising that the appropriate process was for the operator to work with the Environment Agency and provide them with the information that had been requested.

Fisheries

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to support the UK fishing industry; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such measures on fishing boats operating from Poole.

George Eustice: We are committed to achieving an economically viable and sustainable long-term future for the fishing industry. We will seek to secure the best deal possible at the December Fisheries Council, which will provide the industry with fishing opportunities that are based on sound scientific advice. We are also working with industry to help them prepare for the landings obligation which will come into force in 2015 for pelagic species and 2016 for all other quota species. The fishermen of Poole will receive the same assistance as those operating in other regions.
	Funding under the European Fisheries Fund is available to assist fishermen with a range of projects such as improving infrastructure and the industry in Poole is able to apply for this.

Frozen Food

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what classification of food are frozen rodents, when being imported into the UK.

Nicky Morgan: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	The Customs Tariff does not specifically mention frozen rodents. However, when imported, they would be classified in commodity code 0208 90 98 00 which is for 'Other meat and edible meat offal, fresh, chilled or frozen'.

Livestock

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the definition of livestock his Department and its agencies use.

George Eustice: DEFRA does not have an overarching definition of livestock. A general working definition applies to species that are commonly farmed for animal products (meat, eggs, milk, leather, wool, etc.), such as cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses and poultry. However, individual regulations may adopt different definitions depending on their purpose and origin.

Public Expenditure

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) agencies, (b) non-department public bodies and (c) core services of his Department will be affected by the 10 per cent reduction to his Department's budget; and what assessment he has made of the potential effects on service delivery across his Department.

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA and its network bodies are reviewing all activities to ensure that resources are focussed on delivering our priorities and to realise the 10% savings required for 2015-16. Individual organisations' business plans will be published at the start of the 2014-15 financial year. These will show how services are to be delivered within the new financial boundaries.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Dan Rogerson: Core DEFRA operates a single helpline using the prefix 0845. This number is delivered by Serco.
	The DEFRA helpline received 52,258 calls between November 2012 and October 2013.
	Core DEFRA offers an alternative number to international callers. The number is also available to BT users in the UK who may be charged at the local call rate.
	Funding provided by DEFRA to third party organisations may be used towards funding or “sponsoring” helpline services but such information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

UN Convention On Biological Diversity

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to improve the equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources in accordance with the 2010 Nagoya Protocol.

George Eustice: The UK signed the Nagoya Protocol in 2011 and is committed to its early ratification.
	DEFRA has been working to agree an EU Regulation which will implement elements of the Nagoya Protocol within the EU's competence. The regulation is currently in the final stages of negotiation between the Council, European Parliament and Commission. Once in force, the regulation is intended to allow the UK and other member states to ratify the Nagoya Protocol. DEFRA is also working to implement remaining elements of the Protocol that are currently expected to be addressed domestically.
	In 2012 DEFRA contributed $0.5 million to the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund, which is designed to support developing countries that intend to ratify the Protocol by facilitating access and benefit sharing agreements with involvement of the private sector. DEFRA has since provided financial and technical support to a number of other international processes aimed at implementing the Nagoya Protocol internationally.

Water Charges

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that water bills remain affordable; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Rogerson: Water bills are capped by Ofwat, the economic regulator for the water industry, which undertakes a price review every five years. Ofwat has estimated that the next price review could significantly reduce pressure on bills from 2015 by between £120 million to £750 million a year. The Government has urged water companies to consider the impact on the customer when making decisions about future bills, and particularly to consider if they need to apply the full price increases allowed for in the 2009 price review next year. The Government is also encouraging water companies to introduce social tariffs for vulnerable consumers and reduce bad debt.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that generating stations using biomass to generate electricity adhere to their forecast domestic wood use; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: We continue to monitor domestic wood use by biomass generating stations, both through their returns on actual use under the sustainability reporting requirements of the renewables obligation and through the forecasts large scale generators provide to the Department. We intend to publish the aggregated results of these each year:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246006/UK_wood_and_biomass.pdf
	We assess the aggregated results of these forecasts and compare against the Department's previous biomass availability forecasts. The most recent set of wood use data supported the Department's initial wood use estimates (from the renewables obligation banding review) and were within our availability estimates (from the Bioenergy Strategy). The Department has no plans to ensure individual generating stations using biomass adhere to their individual forecast domestic wood use, which are by their very nature subject to change, and would involve practical implementation problems.

Biofuels

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's publication, Use of UK Biomass for Electricity and CHP, published on 2 October 2013, what assessment he has made of the data presented in that document; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the subsidised use of domestic virgin wood for biomass electricity generation; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: As part of the impact assessment to the Renewables Obligation Banding Review the Department assessed of the amount of woody biomass, including domestic and imported, that is likely to be used for electricity generation up to 2017.
	This year we have aggregated data provided to Ofgem under the Renewables Obligation biomass sustainability reporting requirements. We also asked all large scale electricity generators using biomass to provide the Department with an estimate of the amount of UK-sourced wood they expect to source over the coming five years. The results of these two analyses have now been published:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246006/UK_wood_and_biomass.pdf
	These data support the Department's initial estimates of the amount of UK biomass that is expected to be used for electricity generation up to 2017 (of between 2.5 and 3.5 million oven dried tonnes (modt)). Use of UK biomass for electricity has remained stable over the 2009-12 period at between 2.3 and 2.5 modt (of which between 1.3 and 1.6 modt was wood).

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Gregory Barker: The Department has no staff who are paid less than the London or national living wage.
	DECC has received assurances from its key suppliers that they have no workers currently in post earning less than the London or national living wage guidelines. The rates payable by DECC's key suppliers are in line with the GPS framework fees agreed centrally across the civil service.
	DECC has not employed staff on zero hours contracts.
	DECC is also signed into a larger Shared Services contract through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to provide facilities management (FM) and catering services. There are 21 staff working for the FM contractor and six working for the catering contractor who receive less than the London living wage and are based primarily in DECC buildings.
	DECC's arm’s lengths bodies advised with regards to paying less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage and also with regards to direct employees employed on zero hours contracts that:
	The Civil Nuclear Police Authority, (CNPA) do not have any employees earning below the living wage. The CNPA is responsible for their own staffing arrangements. They review their use of such contracts regularly. Currently the CNPA have one FTE zero hours contract in effect. The zero hours contract is a long standing flexible arrangement (beginning under UKAEAC and therefore prior to 2004).
	The Coal Authority (CA) have no employees on zero hours contracts or who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.
	The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) confirmed that no workers are paid less than the living wage and they do not retain employees on zero hours contracts.
	The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) confirmed that no workers are paid less than the living wage and they do not retain employees on zero hours contracts.

Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many consumers switched energy supplier in each quarter of the last 10 years for which data is available.

Michael Fallon: Data on consumer switches for both electricity and gas are available in Table 2.7.1 of DECC's publication Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP) and can be found on the DECC website. Data are available for all quarters from 2003 Quarter 1 to 2013 Quarter 2.

Energy Ombudsman

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many complaints to the energy ombudsman (a) were upheld, (b) were rejected, (c) resulted in financial award, (d) resulted in apology or explanation and (e) resulted in other practical action in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14;
	(2)  how many complaints were made to the energy ombudsman in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.

Michael Fallon: The Ombudsman Service publishes data on energy complaints in their annual energy reports. In 2010-11, the ombudsman investigated 5,812 complaints, of which 69% resulted in both a financial award and a non-financial remedy, such as an apology or explanation, 26% resulted in a non-financial remedy and 5% did not require further action.
	In 2011-12, the ombudsman investigated 6,608 complaints, of which 71% resulted in both a financial award and a non-financial remedy, 3% resulted in a financial award only, 21% resulted in a non-financial remedy and 5% did not require further action.
	In 2012-13, the ombudsman investigated 8,768 complaints, of which 61% resulted in both a financial award and a non-financial remedy, 10% resulted in a financial award only, 22% resulted in a non-financial remedy and 7% did not require further action.
	Data for 2013-14 is not available.

Energy: Billing

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what change in energy bills for households in (a) North West Norfolk constituency, (b) Norfolk and (c) London there has been in each of the last five years.

Michael Fallon: The change in energy bills in each of the last five years is shown as follows. The North West Norfolk constituency and the county of Norfolk are both within the Eastern Public Electricity Supply (PES) electricity supply region and the Eastern Local Distribution Zone (LDZ) gas supply area, with the same prices charged throughout this region.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Average annual energy bill Change from previous year 
			  Eastern London Eastern London 
			 2008 1,027 1,028 — — 
			 2009 1,096 1,126 69 98 
			 2010 1,060 1,094 -36 -32 
			 2011 1,159 1,187 100 93 
			 2012 1,264 1,293 104 106 
		
	
	Data are only available on a consistent basis from 2008. This data is taken by combining annual bill estimates for electricity and gas from Tables 2.2.3 and 2.3.3 of DECC's publication Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP), assuming an annual consumption of 3,300 kWh for electricity and 18,000 kWh for gas. Provisional annual bill estimates for 2013 will be published in December's edition of QEP on 19 December 2013.

Energy: Billing

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the amount of customer credit held by (a) British Gas, (b) EDF Energy, (c) E.ON, (d) nPower, (e) Scottish Power and (f) SSE.

Michael Fallon: The Department is in discussions with suppliers to develop a clearer picture of the amounts involved. The Government is working with industry, consumer groups and Ofgem to agree a common approach to consumer credit that ensures that consumers are not disadvantaged if they pay by direct debit.

Energy: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of average debt levels of customers in debt to their energy supplier for (a) electricity and (b) gas in (i) 2011, (ii) 2012 and (iii) 2013.

Michael Fallon: Ofgem monitors and publishes information in its Social Obligations Annual Reports about the average level of debt that domestic customers owe for their gas and electricity supplies.
	In 2011, the average level of debt held by domestic customers at the end of the year was £357 for electricity and £371 for gas. During 2012 Ofgem changed the way it collected information about average debt from suppliers. The changes have led to data showing the average level of debt for customers who had agreed a repayment arrangement and for those who had not. The .average level of debt held by domestic customers who had agreed a repayment arrangement the end of 2012 was £304 for electricity and £313 for gas. The average level of debt held by domestic customers who had not yet agreed a repayment arrangement the end of 2012 was £439 for electricity and £443 for gas. Data for 2013 are not available.

Energy: Billing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of energy consumers who pay their domestic energy supplies by (a) direct debit, (b) standard credit and (c) pre-payment meter.

Michael Fallon: Data on methods of payment for domestic energy consumers are published in Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP) available on the DECC website. The latest edition, published in September 2013, provides data for quarter 2 of 2013. Percentage of customers paying by each payment type can be found in the following table:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  Standard electricity E7 Gas 
			 Standard credit 29 28 29 
			 Direct debit 55 52 57 
			 Pre-payment 16 20 14

Energy: Disconnections

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of domestic customers disconnected by their energy supplier in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013.

Michael Fallon: Ofgem monitors and publishes information about disconnections of domestic electricity supplies in its Domestic Supplies' Obligations Annual Reports:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Monitoring/SoObMonitor/Pages/SocObMonitor.aspx
	In 2011, 921 domestic electricity and 331 gas customer supplies were disconnected due to debt. In 2012, 453 domestic electricity and 104 gas customer supplies were disconnected due to debt. Data for 2013 is not available.

Energy: Meters

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households using pre-payment electricity meters in Barrow and Furness constituency in each of the last five years.

Michael Fallon: Data are available only at regional level. The table provides the percentage of customers who pay by pre-payment for the whole of the North West Public Electricity Supply (PES) region, which includes the Barrow and Furness constituency.
	
		
			 Percentage of customers paying by pre-payment 
			  % 
			 2008 14 
			 2009 14 
			 2010 15 
			 2011 15 
			 2012 16 
		
	
	This data is taken from Table 2.4.2 of DECC's publication Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP) and can be found on the DECC website. The latest edition of QEP, published in September 2013, provides data for quarter 2 of 2013.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page.
	The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v0_1.pdf
	In the written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, of the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol 21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

Fracking

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to pages 14-15 of the report Review of the Potential Public Health Impacts of Exposures to Chemical and Radioactive Pollutants as a result of Shale Gas Extraction, published by Public Health England on 31 October 2013, what assessment he has made of the hazards to human health of radon in the methane gas streams obtained by the hydraulic fracturing of shale which is delivered to homes within less than 3.8 days of extraction.

Michael Fallon: Public Health England (PHE) has identified that radon may be present in natural gas obtained by hydraulic fracturing of shale reserves, as is the case for natural gas derived from some other sources, see:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/shale-gas-extraction-emissions-are-a-low-risk-to-public-health
	Radon in domestic gas supply has been assessed previously for its radiological significance in relation to natural gas from the North Sea and it leads to domestic gas customers receiving very small radiation exposures, compared with other naturally occurring radiation. Measurements from the USA of radon in shale gas methane suggest that the concentrations are similar to those found in natural gas from other sources, and that radiation exposure to domestic gas users from this source will also be very low.
	PHE anticipates a low risk to public health from direct releases of radioactive material if shale gas extraction is properly operated and regulated.
	PHE has recommended that it will be appropriate to determine the initial radon concentrations in natural gas from shale sources in the UK.
	PHE has further recommended that the existing radiological assessment, of radon in natural gas, should be reviewed using measurements of radon in UK shale gas together with assessment parameters that reflect the processing and transport network that will apply to UK shale gas methane.
	The Government is considering PHE's recommendations and will respond in due course.

Fuel Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of people were living in fuel poverty in each of the last three years.

Gregory Barker: DECC have recently announced the intention to adopt the new Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator to measure fuel poverty, based on the recommendations from Professor Hills' independent review.
	The following table shows the number and proportion of fuel poor households in England under this new measure:
	
		
			  Number of households (Thousand) Proportion of households fuel poor (%) 
			 2009 2,486 11.5 
			 2010 2,474 11.5 
			 2011 2,390 10.9

Green Deal Scheme

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has received any representations regarding the work of Becoming Green Ltd, with regard to the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The Department has received a number of representations concerning Becoming Green Ltd. The company was authorised as an installer under the Green Deal but voluntarily withdrew from the scheme in May this year.

Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost was of setting up the Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil (OUGO) as at 31 October 2013; how many staff were employed within OUGO on that date; and how many meetings have taken place between staff of OUGO and Ministers in his Department since the issuing of its press notice 13/029 on 20 March 2013.

Michael Fallon: OUGO was set up within the Department from existing staff. There are presently 9.7 full-time equivalents. Transition costs of setting up the office were covered from existing overhead resources.
	DECC Ministers and OUGO staff meet on a very regular basis.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: DECC holds details of qualifications only where that qualification was a requirement for the post when it was advertised. These records are held on individual staff files and DECC would incur disproportionate costs in order to obtain the information.

Renewable Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 285, what the evidential basis is for his statement that £31 billion has been invested in clean energy since 2010.

Gregory Barker: Since 2010, £31.4 billion worth of private sector investment in renewable electricity has been announced.
	These figures are derived by reviewing recorded projects on the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD), which is publicly accessible. Only projects over 20 MW, and which have submitted for planning approval since 1 January 2010 or have been determined since then, are included. These are cross-referenced with a range of sources, such as publicly available material and direct contact with developers. Supply chain announcements are not included to avoid double counting.
	The REPD database is updated monthly providing a methodical basis for checking the status of each project.

Sellafield

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the decision by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to extend for a further five years the top tier management contract of Nuclear Management Partners for Sellafield; and what discussions his Department held with the NDA in respect of the contract extension prior to it being agreed.

Michael Fallon: The contract agreed between NDA and NMP in 2008 runs for 17 years. NDA can terminate it at any time, giving 12 months' notice and the contract includes specified points at which overall progress will be reviewed. The decision to continue with the contract, beyond the first review point in 2013-14, was an operational matter for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
	The Department has oversight of all NDA activity and given the particular importance of Sellafield, officials have been closely involved throughout. From this we are assured that the NDA reached its decision based on a thorough and independent review of performance in the first period of the contract and consideration of all the options available to it. Ministers have been kept informed and endorsed the NDA Board's decision to extend the contract for a second term.

Visits Abroad

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, his Department has made in each year since 2010; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip.

Gregory Barker: Cost information is available for all years but it is not possible to establish the number of overseas trips for every year since 2010. The following table shows the data centrally held:
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14(1) 
			 Number of trips n/a n/a 675 492 
			      
			 Cost (£000)     
			 (a) Flights 696 644 493 262 
			 (b) Internal travel 122 124 224 42 
			 (c) Hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence 35 30 344 107 
			 Total 853 798 1,061 411 
			 (1) Six months

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of applications for assistance under the warm homes discount scheme which were (a) accepted and (b) rejected in 2012-13.

Gregory Barker: In 2012-13, a total of 1,157,879 pensioners received a core group rebate of £130 under the warm home discount scheme. Of these, 1,079,639 (93%) received the rebate without having to take any action following successful data matching between DWP and participating energy suppliers.
	Potential customers who did not receive the rebate automatically were sent a letter asking them to contact a dedicated call centre to confirm their details. There were 78,240 successful claims as a result of this. Inevitably, some people who contacted the call centre were not found to be eligible for the scheme under the rules established through regulations. In 2012-13 there were 14,249 such cases.
	We have always ensured that customers of participating energy suppliers who contact the call centre and are found to be ineligible are told they can contact their supplier about potentially receiving a rebate under the broader group element of the warm home discount. This year, customers in private tenure are also given the phone number for the Energy Saving Advice Service to access assistance with heating and insulation measures under ECO Affordable Warmth.
	In addition to the core group rebates in 2012-13, 489,494 low income and vulnerable households received a £130 rebate by applying to their energy supplier under the broader group. Suppliers do not report how many people are unsuccessful as part of that process. Furthermore, 966,823 customers received bill support under the legacy spending elements of the scheme.
	A full annual report on the operation of warm home discount in 2012-13 has been published by Ofgem and is available at:
	https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-2

EDUCATION

Academies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many principals academy sponsors replaced in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Edward Timpson: Academy trusts are responsible for the appointment of principals in their academies. They do not have to inform the Department for Education of a change of principal, therefore the Department does not hold this information.

Academies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many academy sponsors his Department replaced in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Edward Timpson: Since September 2010, the Department's intervention has initiated a change of sponsor in six academies:
	(a) In 2010-11, no academy sponsors were replaced;
	(b) In 2011-12, the Department's intervention initiated a change of sponsor in two academies;
	(c) In 2012-13, the Department's intervention initiated a change of sponsor in one academy;
	As of 15 November, three academy sponsors have been replaced in the 2013-14 academic year.

Academies

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all voluntary-aided academy schools which are currently unable to extend the use of sports or other facilities without incurring a historic VAT liability relating to the construction of their buildings.

Edward Timpson: When voluntary aided schools convert to academies they lose their voluntary aided status. There may be instances when governing bodies of voluntary aided schools have entered appropriately into local VAT arrangements with HMRC, which may still exist after the school becomes an academy. Details of those arrangements, if they do exist, are not held centrally.

Academies: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many academies' performance his Department monitored during (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13;
	(2)  how many academies' performance his Department currently monitors on academic performance;
	(3)  how many academies his Department considered as red-rated in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13;
	(4)  how many academies his Department currently considers to be red-rated.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education monitors the performance of all open academies, with a particular focus on those that are below the floor standard, have an inadequate Ofsted judgment or are determined to be at risk of falling below the floor standard or receiving an inadequate Ofsted judgment. In cases of sustained poor academic performance at an academy, Ministers may issue a Warning Notice or Pre-Warning Notice to the relevant trust: These have recently been published on the Department's website(1).
	(1)( )https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/improvement-notices- to-academies

Adil Rashid

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to establish the name of the Islamic faith school attended by Mr Adil Rashid.

Edward Timpson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave in the House on 11 November 2013, Official Report, column 622. I will write to my hon. Friend about a meeting.

Al-Madinah School

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State for Schools, Official Report, column 890, on Al-Madinah Free School, when he plans to provide an update to the House on the actions taken by his Department to improve Al-Madinah Free School.

David Laws: Lord Nash wrote to the Chair of the Al-Madinah Trust on 8 October, in light of the scale of our concerns, setting out 17 requirements for the Trust to respond. The Trust has now responded to those requirements and the Department is considering carefully those responses. I shall ensure that the House is informed of next steps at the earliest possible opportunity.

Al-Madinah School

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish in anonymised form the qualifications held by each member of the teaching staff at the Al-Madinah Free School at the beginning of the current school term.

Edward Timpson: Lord Nash wrote to the Chair of the Al-Madinah Trust on 8 October, in light of the scale of our concerns, setting out 17 requirements for the Trust to respond, including providing a list of qualifications for staff employed by the Trust. The Trust has now responded to those requirements and the Department is considering carefully those responses. It would be inappropriate to publish any details until the Secretary of State for Education has concluded the next steps in this case.

Al-Madinah School

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to close the Al Madinah Free School in Derby.

Edward Timpson: Lord Nash wrote to the Chair of the Al-Madinah Trust on 8 October, in light of the scale of our concerns, setting out 17 requirements that the Trust must respond to. The Trust has now responded to those requirements and the Department is considering carefully those responses and next steps. It would be inappropriate to go into any further detail at this stage on any of the options available to the Department.

Children and Families Bill

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend Clause 69 of the Children and Families Bill (HL Bill 32) in relation to the removal of education health and care plans when a child or young person enters a custodial institution.

Edward Timpson: Clause 70, previously Clause 69, of the Children and Families Bill plays an important function by disapplying duties which would be impractical for a local authority to deliver when a child or young person is in custody. However, as Lord Nash made clear during Grand Committee of the Children and Families Bill in the House of Lords on 6 November, we are planning to introduce provisions at Report Stage to improve the support we provide to children and young people in custody with special educational needs. This includes considering how Clause 70 could be amended.

Children in Care

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the weekly cost of children's homes accommodation is in (a) the private sector, (b) the voluntary sector and (c) local authority-run accommodation;
	(2)  how many children's homes are run by (a) the private sector, (b) the voluntary sector and (c) the local authority.

Edward Timpson: Information about the costs and number of children's homes in England for looked after children can be found in the Children's Homes Data Pack published by the Department for Education in September 2013(1). The average amount spent by local authorities on their own provision is £4,135 per child per week. The average amount spent on private or voluntary provision is £3,860 per child per week. Separate information on the average cost of provision by voluntary and privately run homes is not readily available.
	In 31 March 2013, 1,718 children's homes were on the Ofsted register. Of these, 371 (22%) were local authority run and 1,347 (78%) were in the private and voluntary sector. Separate information on the homes in the private and voluntary sector is not readily available.
	(1)( )http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/c/childrens%20 homes%20data%20pack%202013.pdf

Children in Care

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many children's homes run by local authorities are in use in England; and how many there were in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many private and voluntary run children's homes there are in England; and how many there were in each of the last five years.

Edward Timpson: The answers to these questions are provided in the table.
	The data on the numbers of children's homes includes information about residential special schools that are registered as children's homes.
	
		
			 Numbers of children's homes 31 March 2008 to 30 September 2013, by sector 
			  Local Authority Private/Voluntary 
			 31 March 2008 629 1,324 
			 31 March 2009 612 1,325 
			 31 March 2010 594 1,407 
			 31 March 2011 571 1,487 
			 31 March 2012 557 1,523 
			 31 March 2013 528 1,514 
			 30 September 2013 522 1,533 
			 Note: The information has been supplied by Ofsted, the independent body responsible for the regulation and inspection of children's homes.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time equivalent posts are there currently in his Department involved with child protection, broken down by responsibility and grade.

Edward Timpson: Within the Department, the children’s social care policy family is responsible for developing policy to protect and support the most vulnerable children in society, including those at risk of harm and those in care.
	As at end of September 2013, the following staff worked in children’s social care policy family:
	
		
			  Number 
			 EO/EA 33.3 
			 HEO 27.7 
			 SEO 42.8 
			 G7 39.8 
			 G6 10.7 
			 SCS 8.6 
			 Total 162.9 
		
	
	These figures include staff who are away from the office on maternity leave or on other forms of long-term leave.
	Staff are deployed using a flexible working model meaning they frequently work on more than one project at a time, moving around portfolios according to business need. It is not therefore possible to provide a list of responsibilities on a grade by grade basis.
	In addition, there are staff working on issues related to safeguarding in a range of settings, including schools and early years, working in different parts of the Department. It is not possible to disaggregate these figures.

Children's Centres

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Sure Start children's centres have closed in each of the last six years.

Elizabeth Truss: Seven children's centres closed in 2011, 22 in 2012 and 20 in 2013. Other centres have opened during this time. Only 1.3% of children's centres have closed; there are still more than 3,000 across the country, as well as 2,240 linked sites.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education and its executive agencies have no directly employed staff paid below the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. External contractors providing services to the Department have confirmed that 126 staff are paid under the living wage. All contracted staff are paid above the minimum wage.
	The Department has no direct employees on zero hours contracts.
	The Department does not hold relevant data for Ofsted, Ofqual or the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). I have asked Lorraine Langham, chief operating officer of Ofsted, Glenys Stracey, chief executive of Ofqual,
	and Anthony Douglas, chief executive of CAFCASS, to write with the information requested.

Crimes of Violence: Females

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many times and on what dates a Minister from his Department has attended the inter-ministerial group on Violence against Women and Girls since it was set up.

Edward Timpson: A Minister from the Department for Education has attended eight of the 11 meetings of this group since it first met on 21 July 2010.
	A Minister was present at meetings on 21 July 2010, 19 October 2010, 9 February 2011, 19 October 2011, 14 December 2011, 14 March 2012, 1 November 2012 and 4 June 2013.
	When Ministers were unable to attend meetings on 15 December 2010 and 6 February 2013, a senior departmental official attended.
	The meeting on 14 June 2011 was the only meeting where the Department was not represented.

Crimes of Violence: Females

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with Ofsted on carrying out a thematic inspection of schools in order to report on how they address violence against women and girls; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: Ministers have not had any recent discussions with Ofsted about a thematic inspection to report on how schools address violence against women and girls.
	When evaluating the leadership and management of a school, inspectors consider the safeguarding arrangements in place to ensure that all pupils are safe. Ofsted guidance to inspectors on behaviour and safety issues asks them to consider how effectively the school addresses bullying and harassment, including prejudice-based bullying related to sex, and other issues such as discriminatory and derogatory language.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people received the education maintenance allowance in each of the last three years of the scheme's existence in each region.

David Laws: The education maintenance allowance (EMA) was replaced in 2011/12 by the 16-19 Bursary Fund. The decision to remove the EMA was made because it was a poorly targeted scheme. Research commissioned by the previous Government showed that although 45% of 16 to 18-year-olds in education received EMA, only one in 10 in fact relied on it to stay in education. In these difficult times, therefore, it was not possible to justify spending £560 million a year on EMA. That is why we introduced the 16-19 Bursary Fund, which targets financial support towards the young people who need it most.
	The numbers of young people in receipt of EMA for the last three years of the scheme's existence in each region are shown in the following table.
	The lower take-up shown in 2011/12 is because of the introduction of the 16-19 Bursary Fund in that year. Eligible new starters would have received a bursary instead and only continuing students would have received EMA.
	Data are not yet available on how many students received the Bursary Fund in 2012/13.
	
		
			 Region 2009/10 take-up 2010/11 take-up 2011/12 take-up 
			 North East 39,375 37,213 14,886 
			 North West 101,908 98,725 40,946 
			 Yorkshire & the Humber 72,321 70,932 28,864 
			 East Midlands 57,016 55,537 22,231 
			 West Midlands 80,470 78,668 32,277 
			 East of England 59,963 59,954 23,679 
			 Greater London 96,193 97,465 43,705 
			 South East 78,284 78,191 31,177 
			 South West 59,044 58,489 22,977 
			 Unknown(1) 2,059 1,322 504 
			 Total 646,633 636,496 261,246 
			 (1 )Unknown—Where the postcode provided on the student's application form did not produce a match with the postcode software programme used.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education to which EU directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: There have been no EU directives within the Department for Education's area of responsibility since May 2010.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: No EU directives within the Department for Education's area of responsibility have come into force since May 2010.

Free Schools

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many surplus places exist in free schools.

Edward Timpson: The most recent data available relates to the position in the first 24 free schools at 1 May 2012. This shows that, just eight months after these schools opened, 3,844 places were filled with 434 places unfilled. The proportion of places that were unfilled in free schools was lower than the proportion of places that were unfilled in local authority controlled schools at that time (10.1% vs. 10.7%).
	More recently, proposer groups have self-reported that free schools have proved incredibly popular with parents; those open at the start of the 2012/13 academic year received an average of three applicants per place for this September.

Free Schools

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the level of (a) planned and (b) actual expenditure was on free schools in each year since their introduction.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education's policy is to provide each free school proposer group with a revenue grant to cover essential costs incurred in bringing their free school online. For the first two years of the programme, grants were set for each proposer group following discussion with officials, so varied from group to group. From the third year of the programme, flat rate grants were introduced for all groups opening mainstream schools, to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The pre and post-opening grant allocations made to free schools opening in 2011 and 2012 have already been published.(1) Allocations for schools opening in 2013 will be published once these have been finalised.
	Capital funding to establish free schools is also agreed according to the needs of each project, following a value for money assessment. Spend on capital projects are published as they are finalised, the current position is set out on the Department's website.(2)
	Free schools are funded on an equivalent basis to other academies. Details of the funding allocated to free schools opening in 2011 and 2012 for 2012/13 have already been published.(3)
	We set out funding allocations to free schools and academies annually on the Department's website. The figures for 2013/14 will be published when they are finalised next year.
	(1) http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xlsx/f/free%20schools %20revenue%20expenditure_002.xlsx
	(2) http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xls/l/130530%20capital %20funding%20for%20free%20schools.xls
	(3)( )http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financial management/efafundingfinance/b00212650/funding/pre-16-funding-allocations-201213
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/funding/fundinga/b00204972/16-19-allocations

Free Schools

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the (a) location and (b) ownership is of all free schools that have been approved to date; and what public funds each has received.

Edward Timpson: 174 free schools have opened since 2011. A further 116 free schools have been approved and are due to open in 2014 and beyond. Published location information for all of these schools is available on the Department for Education's website.(1)
	Free schools, like all academies, are run by academy trusts which are companies limited by guarantee with charitable status. The academy trust is the proprietor of the school and is the employer of staff and, in most cases, owns the legal interest in the land.
	Free schools are funded on an equivalent basis to other academies. Details of the funding allocated to free schools opening in 2011 and 2012 for 2012/13 have already been published.(2)
	We set out funding allocations to free schools and academies annually on the Department's website. The figures for 2013/14 will be published when they are finalised next year.
	(1) http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesof schools/freeschools/b00222175/open
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/freeschools/b00222077/pre-opening
	(2) http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financial management/efafundingfinance/b00212650/funding/pre-16-funding-allocations-201213
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/funding/fundinga/b00204972/16-19-allocations

Free Schools

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of free schools he expects to fail.

Edward Timpson: The Department does not make such forecasts.

Free Schools

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what powers his Department has to direct that a free school be closed.

Edward Timpson: The powers of the Secretary of State for Education to intervene in a free school are specified in the funding agreement between the Secretary of State and the academy trust running the school.
	Free school and academy funding agreements are published on the Department for Education's website once the school has opened.

Free Schools

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  when was his Department was first made aware that the Al-Madinah Free School (a) had appointed staff who did not have appropriate qualifications and experience, (b) operated without a designated principal in the summer of 2012, (c) was not meeting safeguarding requirements, (d) had not identified which of its pupils had special educational needs and (e) was delivering an unacceptably poor standard of education;
	(2)  whether any free school other than the Al-Madinah Free School (a) has appointed staff who do not have appropriate qualifications and experience, (b) operate without a designated principal, (c) is not meeting safeguarding requirements, (d) has not identified which of its pupils have special educational needs and (e) is delivering an unacceptably poor standard of education.

Edward Timpson: I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Tristram Hunt), on 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 225W and 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 336W.

Free Schools: Chester

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects his lawyers to complete and sign the lease on the University Cathedral Preschool at Chester.

Edward Timpson: Lawyers for the University Cathedral Free School Trust are still awaiting a key document and agreement on terms from the landlord. As soon as those documents are received and agreed by the lawyers acting on behalf of the Trust then the agreement for lease can be completed.

Free Schools: Poole

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on opening a free school in Poole constituency.

Edward Timpson: My right hon. Friend receives many representations about proposals to open new free schools. There have, to date, been no applications to open a free school in the Poole constituency and no representations.

Further Education

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits he has made in his official capacity to further education colleges since May 2010; and what the (a) date and (b) location was of each such visit.

Matthew Hancock: A comprehensive list of visits made to further education colleges by the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) since May 2010 is not held centrally. The Secretary of State takes every opportunity to engage directly with college leaders and other representatives on key aspects of vocational education.

Further Education: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in (a) Portsmouth South constituency and (b) Hampshire received financial assistance towards the cost of attending further education in each of the last four academic years.

David Laws: Management information is not routinely collected on the numbers of recipients of the 16-19 Bursary Fund, which is the main source of financial assistance for students in 16-19 education. The 16-19 Bursary Fund is separated into Discretionary Bursary Funding and Vulnerable Bursaries. Schools and colleges receive allocations of Discretionary Bursary Funding and make awards to individual students whom they have assessed against their own scheme criteria.

Further Education: Merseyside

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in (a) St Helens local authority area and (b) Merseyside received financial assistance towards the cost of attending further education in each of the last four academic years.

David Laws: Management information is not routinely collected on the numbers of recipients of the 16-19 Bursary Fund, which is the main source of financial assistance for students in 16-19 education. The 16-19 Bursary Fund is separated into discretionary bursary funding and vulnerable bursaries. Schools and colleges receive allocations of discretionary bursary funding and make awards to individual students whom they have assessed against their own scheme criteria.

Further Education: St Helens

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average amount of financial assistance received by pupils in St Helens local authority area towards the cost of attending further education was in each of the last four academic years.

David Laws: Management information is not routinely collected on the numbers of recipients of the 16-19 Bursary Fund, which is the main source of financial assistance for students in 16-19 education. The 16-19 Bursary Fund is separated into discretionary bursary funding and vulnerable bursaries. Schools and colleges receive allocations of discretionary bursary funding and make awards to individual students whom they have assessed against their own scheme criteria.

Kings Science Academy

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what discussions his Department had with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau on that body's decision not to proceed with an investigation into fraud allegations at Kings Science Academy, Bradford reported to the his Department on 5 September 2013;
	(2)  whether his Department provided Action Fraud with a full and unredacted internal audit report on Kings Science Academy, Bradford after April 2013.

Edward Timpson: The Department contacted Action Fraud to inquire about progress on 5 September 2013. Action Fraud then wrote to the Department to say the case had been assessed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau who had determined there should be no further action.
	The Department followed all correct procedures in reporting this incident. Action Fraud has apologised to the Department for an administrative error on their part, which saw the case filed as an information report rather than a crime report. The Department was informed of this error by Action Fraud on 1 November 2013. A police investigation is consequently now under way. The Department is co-operating fully with their inquiries and has provided the police with an unredacted copy of the investigation report.

Kings Science Academy

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what caused his Department to contact Action Fraud on 5 September 2013 regarding Kings Science Academy in Bradford.

Edward Timpson: The Department contacted Action Fraud to enquire about progress on 5 September. Action Fraud then wrote to the Department to say the case had been assessed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau who had determined there should be no further action.

Kings Science Academy

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  for what reasons the full and unredacted audit report by his Department into Kings Science Academy, Bradford, was not passed to Action Fraud for assessment in September 2013;
	(2)  whether his Department requested that Action Fraud meet police officers to brief them following his Department's contact with Action Fraud in April 2013 on allegations of fraud at Kings Science Academy, Bradford;
	(3)  whether his Department requested that Action Fraud meet police officers to discuss with them why the police had decided not to proceed with an investigation in September 2013;
	(4)  for what reasons the full and unredacted audit report by his Department into Kings Science Academy, Bradford, was not passed to Action Fraud for assessment in April 2013.

Edward Timpson: The matter was referred to Action Fraud by the Department for Education on 25 April 2013. The Department supplied Action Fraud with all the critical information in the investigation report and all the information they requested. Action Fraud did not request a copy of the report.
	The Economic Crime Unit of West Yorkshire police was also contacted on 25 April. They confirmed that the Department had taken the correct action in referring the matter to Action Fraud.
	Action Fraud wrote to the Department on 5 September to state that the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau had assessed the case but determined not to progress the case further.
	It is the responsibility of Action Fraud and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to decide when it is appropriate for them to meet with police officers.
	Action Fraud subsequently notified the Department on 1 November that the information provided had been wrongly classified as an information report rather than a crime report. This error has been rectified by Action Fraud and West Yorkshire police have confirmed they are now investigating. The Department is co-operating fully with their inquiries and has provided the West Yorkshire police with an unredacted copy of the investigation report, on their request.
	Action Fraud has apologised to the Department for this error.

Kings Science Academy

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  whether the lease agreement negotiated with Knight Frank representing the Hartley Group property division for the land which has become the permanent site of Kings Science Academy, Bradford is priced at cost;
	(2)  what change in rent offered for the land owned by the Hartley Group which has become the permanent site of Kings Science Academy, Bradford there has been between its current and previous tenants;
	(3)  what assessment of the state of buildings and their lettable potential on the site has become the permanent site of Kings Science Academy, Bradford was made before his Department entered negotiations over the future rent and other lease arrangements of this land with Knight Frank representing the Hartley Group property division;
	(4)  what other sites his Department considered for the permanent site of Kings Science Academy, Bradford;
	(5)  how long the negotiations were between his Department and Knight Frank representing the Hartley Group property division concerning the lease agreement for the site of Kings Science Academy, Bradford.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education held initial discussions about the site for Kings Science Academy with Knight Frank in September 2010. Discussions and negotiations continued until the lease for the Hartley Business Park, Northside Road, Bradford, was entered into in March 2012. During negotiations Kings Science Academy and the Department were represented and advised by property, legal and technical professionals.
	Kings Science Academy is paying annual rent of £296,960; £2.27 per square foot. An independent report and valuation commissioned by the Department confirmed this as the market rent for the leasehold interest of the site. The valuation reported details of the rent paid by the then tenants on the site. These ranged from £2.77 per square foot to £2.88 per square foot. A further unit was under offer at £3.00 per square foot.
	A comprehensive site search was undertaken focussing on the Lidget Green area of Bradford. This established that there were no suitable vacant premises or surplus land in public ownership. The search did, however, identify nine privately owned sites that were available at the time. These were subject to an options appraisal, which concluded that Hartley Business Park was the preferred site, on the basis of location, size, suitability and cost.
	The Department's technical advisers first visited the Hartley Business Park to assess its suitability as a site for Kings Science Academy on 27 August 2010. Further visits were undertaken over the following two months to assess the nature and condition of the existing building and to determine the necessary construction work and funding required. External technical consultants were also appointed to carry out a detailed feasibility study. The detailed feasibility work was undertaken between September 2010 and January 2011.

Languages: Poole

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students chose to take a modern foreign language at (a) GCSE, (b) AS level and (c) A2 level in Poole constituency in each of the last five years for which information is available.

David Laws: The requested information for GCSE and A level has been provided in the following table. AS level figures can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The English Baccalaureate is reversing years of decline in language learning at secondary school with the proportion of pupils sitting a language GCSE in England this summer reaching a seven year high.
	
		
			 GCSE results(1,2,3) of pupils at the end of key stage 4, GCE A level result(4) of students aged 16 to 19(5). Years: 2008-09 to 2012-13(6). Coverage: Poole parliamentary constituency(7) 
			  Number of students entered for any modem foreign language at GCSE Number of students entered for any modern foreign language at A level 
			 2008-09 489 36 
			 2009-10 495 48 
			 2010-11 439 46 
			 2011-12 430 35 
			 2012-13 457 26 
			 (1) Includes GCSE Full Course and Vocational Single Award. (2) Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. (3) Discounting has been applied. Where pupils have taken the same subject more than once, only the best grade is counted. (4) Includes A levels only. (5) Covers students aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August. (6) Figures for 2012-13 are provisional, all other figures are final. (7) Covers local authority-funded schools; academies; free schools; city technology colleges; community and foundation special schools; hospital schools and FE sector colleges. Note: Where qualifications taken by a student are in the same subject area and similar in content, “discounting” rules have been applied to avoid double counting qualifications. Please see the ‘Technical Notes’ in the Main text of the SFR available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-in-england-academic-year-2012-to-2013-provisional Source: 2012/13 key stage 4/5 attainment data (provisional)

Priority School Building Programme

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have successfully applied for the Priority School Building programme; and in how many schools which have successfully applied for the Primary School Building programme building work has started.

David Laws: This Government is spending £18 billion on school buildings, more than the last Government's first two parliaments combined. Over 280 schools have been built or refurbished under this Government—projects where construction started after May 2010 and the schools are now open.
	Before building works can begin, plans must be drawn up, contracts negotiated and planning permission secured.
	Under Building Schools for the Future (BSF) it took three years from first planning for building works to begin. We have cut this to one year under the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP).
	Planning work has started with over 200 of the 261 schools in the PSBP, of which construction has started on 12 schools. Had this Government continued with the BSF arrangements, none of these projects would have started yet and it would have been another 18 months before construction began.
	We are on track to complete all PSPB schools by the end of 2017. This is two years earlier than was planned when the programme was announced.

Private Education

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the level of (a) planned and (b) actual expenditure was on former fee paying schools which have become (i) free schools and (ii) academies in each of the last three years.

Edward Timpson: There is no specific budget for fee paying schools to convert to the state sector. Each application is considered on its merits. Once converted, the funding arrangements for each school are set out in the funding agreements, published on the Department's website.
	14 former fee paying schools have converted to academy status over the past three academic years, 11 becoming free schools. They are funded on the same basis as other academies and equivalent to other local authority schools in the area.
	Most of these schools received the standard project development grant of £25,000 given to mainstream schools to support them with the costs of conversion, although four received more. All grants agreed since May 2010 are significantly smaller than the level of grants paid to independent schools moving into the state sector prior to May 2010. Between 2007 and 2010, project development grants given to converting independent schools ranged from £620,000 to as high as £1.7 million.
	In some cases, the Department for Education has also agreed to fund the existing debts of predecessor schools by securing a charge against the assets such as land and buildings. Consistent with the approach under the previous Government, some projects have also been provided with a contribution towards capital funding for the creation of new places.

Public Expenditure

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the children and families budget was in real terms in each of the last four years.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education does not have a single ‘children and families' budget and the vast majority of its funding relates to work with children and families, whether that is funding for schools, adoption, early years or special educational needs.

Pupils: Bullying

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to help teachers and parents prevent bullying in schools.

Elizabeth Truss: All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. It is up to schools to develop their own specific strategies to prevent bullying, as they are best placed to do so in the context of their pupils' needs and Ofsted holds them to account for their effectiveness. Under the current Ofsted framework, introduced in 2012, school inspectors consider how well they prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.
	We have strengthened teachers' powers to discipline pupils for, poor behaviour, which includes bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items, search for and, if necessary, delete inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyberbullying.
	The Department provides schools with advice on preventing and tackling bullying with links to several anti-bullying organisations on its website for specific advice. In addition, we are providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations: Beatbullying, The Diana Award, Kidscape and NCB, to develop effective strategies to prevent and tackle bullying.

Pupils: Bullying

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to provide support for victims of bullying.

Elizabeth Truss: It is important that schools have measures in place to prevent bullying from happening in the first place, tackle it quickly when it does occur, and provide pastoral support to the victim, particularly to address any psychological or emotional distress.
	All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent bullying, which they are free to develop according to the context of the school. They are held to account for their effectiveness by Ofsted. Since January 2012, inspectors have considered pupils' freedom from bullying, harassment and discrimination.
	When bullying does occur, schools have an important role to play in supporting the well-being of their pupils, initially through their in-school pastoral support system. This might involve counselling, peer-to-peer mentoring, buddying and mediation.
	Under the Children Act 1989, a bullying incident should be addressed as a child protection concern where there is:
	‘reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm'.
	Where this is the case, the school staff should report their concerns to their local authority's children's social care team. Even where safeguarding is not considered an issue, schools may need to draw on a range of external services to support the pupil who is experiencing bullying.
	The Government is providing £4 million of funding over two years to anti-bullying organisations, including Beatbullying, the Diana Award, Kidscape and the National Children's Bureau (NCB) to develop strategies to prevent bullying and provide remedial support to victims of bullying. The Diana Award, for example, is providing training to 10,000 young people to act as anti-bullying ambassadors who, among other things, will provide peer-to-peer support to victims of bullying. Likewise the NCB is providing support to young people with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities in around 900 schools, which include measures to develop support and advice for victims of bullying and their families.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will rank all state-funded secondary schools in England in order of the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals, including the school type and local authority.

David Laws: The information requested has been placed in the House Library.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education does not hold information on staff qualifications by subject area or level.

Schools

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to his oral answer of 11 November 2013, Official Report, column 638, how many new local authority schools were set up in the period to which he referred.

Edward Timpson: Lord Nash wrote to Baroness Jones on 7 November 2013 setting out the detail on this issue. A copy of his letter has been placed in the House Library.

Schools: Admissions

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reason the adoption of a child from a Scottish local authority is not taken into account for school admissions in England; for what reasons the adoption of a child from an English local authority is taken into account for such admissions; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: School admission authorities have been required to give looked after children highest priority for admission since 2006. A looked after child is defined in the Children Act 1989 as one who is in the care of, or provided with accommodation by, an English or Welsh local authority.
	In February 2012, we extended this priority to children who have been looked after but were adopted, or became subject to a residence or special guardianship order. To qualify for this priority, adopted children must have been adopted under the terms of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. As this Act only applies to England and Wales, children adopted in Scotland will not qualify.
	We made this change to ensure that looked after children do not lose their priority for admission once they are adopted, and to remove the perverse incentive on adoptive parents to delay adoption until the child has been admitted to school.
	However, school admission authorities may, if they wish, give priority for admission to children with a particular social or medical need. It would therefore be possible for a child adopted in Scotland to be given priority for admission to an English school for other reasons.

Schools: Mailing Lists

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether charities, social sector organisations, private companies or any other external organisations are given access by his Department to any group mailing lists for schools in (a) England and (b) the rest of the UK.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education has shared schools' email addresses with: The Schools Network, Freedom and Autonomy for Schools—National Association (FASNA), the Independent Academies Association (IAA), the Examination Officers' Association, Teachers' Pensions (Capita) and Ofsted.
	In addition, school email addresses held on EduBase are subject to disclosure and have been released in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI).

Schools: Mailing Lists

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what methods his Department uses to issue group communications to schools in (a) England and (b) the rest of the UK.

Elizabeth Truss: To issue email communications to schools in England, the Department for Education uses mass-mailing software and its executive agencies use a Customer Relationship Management system. The DfE is not responsible for schools in the rest of the UK.

Schools: Mailing Lists

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department holds and uses a group email mailing list for all (a) schools in England, (b) secondary schools in England and (c) primary schools in England.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education does not hold email lists for schools. The Department uses the databases of schools it holds and creates a mailing list of the relevant schools when it needs to communicate with them via email.

Schools: Playing Fields

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2013, Official Report, column 513W, on schools: playing fields, in which publications the figure of 2,540 was reported; and on what dates such reports were made.

David Laws: The figure of 2,540—or 26 sites a month—was reported by The Daily Telegraph (“Scandal of the vanishing playing fields”), The Guardian (“Association calculates ‘shameful' loss of playing fields”) and the Daily Mail (“Half of school playing fields lost in 13 years”) on 1 August 2005, and the Daily Express (“Losing the battle for our playing fields”) on 2 August 2005.

Secondary Education: Standards

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of secondary schools were rated (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) satisfactory and (d) inadequate by Ofsted in their most recent inspection in (i) the UK, (ii) East Anglia and (iii) South Suffolk constituency.

David Laws: This is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many private sector employees have been seconded by the private sector to his Department; what the name was of the company from which they were seconded; and whether any of those employees have worked on drafting legislation.

Elizabeth Truss: According to centrally held records, since 1 January 2011, the Department for Education has seconded in six private sector employees. The organisations from which they were seconded were PricewaterhouseCoopers (2), Veale Wasbrough Vizards (2), Browne Jacobsen and Dickinson Dees. None of these employees were involved in drafting legislation.

Shannon Matthews

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reason he has yet to publish the Serious Case Review into the Shannon Matthews case; and when he will announce whether it will not be published.

Edward Timpson: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) agreed with the former Children’s Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) that the Government would not pursue publication of the Kirklees Serious Case Review.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many special educational needs co-ordinators there are in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Birmingham; and how many there were in each of the last five years.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education does not hold complete data on the number of Special Educational Needs Coordinators employed by all state-funded schools. Although the annual School Workforce Census does enable schools to report to the Department that they employ staff especially for this role, it is not a mandatory requirement that they do so.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to expand the use of special educational needs co-ordinators in English schools.

Edward Timpson: All maintained schools are required to have a qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)—this requirement will not change. Since 2009 we have funded over 10,000 new SENCOs to achieve the master's level SENCO award and will support a further 800 places on this award in 2013/14.
	The draft special educational needs (SEN) Code of Practice emphasises the importance of the role of the SENCO and sets out clear guidance on the key responsibilities it should have in developing SEN policy and coordination of provision to support individual children with SEN.

Special Educational Needs: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will rank all mainstream London secondary state schools by the proportion of students with (a) statements of special educational needs and (b) non-statutory special needs.

Edward Timpson: The underlying data in the Statistical First Release (SFR), “Special educational needs in England: January 2013”(1), show the breakdown by school and region of the total number of pupils in each school and the number of children with statements of special educational needs and non-statutory special needs. A copy of this SFR has been placed in the House Library.
	(1) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational -needs-in-england-january-2013

Teachers: Qualifications

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many foreign qualified teachers were teaching in England in each of the last five years.

David Laws: Information on the numbers of foreign qualified teachers working in schools in England is not collected by the Department.

Teachers: Training

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of School Direct allocations for academic year 2013-14 have been filled; and what proportion of School Direct allocations for academic year 2014-15 he expects to be filled.

David Laws: The Department allocated 9,600 School Direct (SD) places for training commencing in 2013/14. Early information based on published acceptance data(1) indicated that 6,370 applicants had accepted a training place. Allocations are not targets and should not be seen as such—this year as in previous years, we over-allocated initial teacher training places above the numbers of trainees required overall.
	The actual number of new entrants on a training programme on the census date and the expected number to start a programme in 2013/14 will be published in a statistical first release on 26 November 2013.
	(1) http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/careers/trainingand development/b00205704/school-direct

Teachers: Training

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many post-graduate certificate in education courses have closed since 2010; and how many teacher trainees were accepted in 2009-10 onto courses that have closed since 2010.

David Laws: The Department does not hold this information.

Teachers: Training

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of schools that recruited through School Direct in 2012-13 for trainees to start in 2013 were (a) not rated outstanding in their most recent Ofsted inspection and (b) not partnered with lead schools that were rated outstanding by Ofsted in their most recent inspection.

David Laws: 788 lead schools and academy chains were allocated School Direct places in 2013/14. Of these, 19 did not have an inspection grade at the time that final allocations were published. This is because they were either a new school or an academy chain.
	Of the 769 lead schools that had inspection grades as published by Ofsted, 440 were graded outstanding for overall effectiveness in their last inspection.
	The Department for Education does not hold information about the schools that have partnered with lead schools for the delivery of School Direct.

Teachers: Training

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in Poole constituency are involved in the Schools Direct programme.

David Laws: The latest period for which initial teacher training (ITT) allocation data is available is for the 2013/14 academic year and can be found in the ITT allocations 2013/14 released in November 2012. One lead school in Poole constituency has received School Direct places for 2013/14, Poole high school. Poole high school is a lead school for School Direct and their accredited provider is Wessex Schools Training Partnership School Centred Initial Teacher Training which is based at the school.
	The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) does not hold data on schools within a partnership. This means that although only one lead school in the Poole constituency has received an allocation for 2013/14 other schools in the Poole constituency may be involved in School Direct through partnerships with lead schools in other constituencies.
	NCTL will publish a full list of the places allocated for the academic year 2014/15 by lead school and ITT provider in due course.
	(1) ITT allocations 2013/14 (November 2012):
	http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xlsx/i/itt%20place%20allocations%20for%20ay%20201314_002.xlsx

Teachers: Training

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure the sustainability of higher education institution providers of initial teacher training.

David Laws: Universities continue to play a lead role in initial teacher training. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are expected to be involved in 82% of all teacher training places for 2014/15.
	As well as 22,900 provider places provisionally allocated to HEIs for the academic year 2014/15, they are also in partnership with schools to deliver 7 out of 10 School Direct places, for which they receive funding.
	There are many strong partnerships in place between schools and HEIs, with HEIs providing in-depth subject knowledge and access to research, and schools providing rich placements and opportunities to partner trainees with outstanding teachers.
	This provides opportunities for HEIs to maintain or even increase their market share of ITT if they deliver programmes schools want, and work with them to establish high-quality and sustainable courses.
	Many HEI providers have already significantly increased their ITT places due to their engagement with School Direct.

Teachers: Training

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of School Direct allocations for 2014-15 he expects to be filled.

David Laws: Allocations are not targets and should not be seen as such—this year as in previous years, we over-allocated initial teacher training places above the numbers of trainees required overall.
	The actual number of new entrants on a training programme on the census date and the expected number to start a programme in 2013/14 will be published in a statistical first release on 26 November 2013.

Teachers: Training

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in Portsmouth South constituency are involved in the Schools Direct programme.

David Laws: The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) holds identifying information on all lead schools allocated School Direct places for the 2013/14 academic year. The NCTL does not hold data on schools within a partnership. One lead school in the Portsmouth South constituency has received an allocation for 2013/14 and other schools in the Portsmouth South constituency may be involved in School Direct through partnership with this lead school or lead schools in other constituencies.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Elizabeth Truss: We inherited from the previous government three “non-geographic” telephone lines with the prefix 0845, which charged callers at premium rates. This government has ensured an alternative 0300 number is available, which costs no more than a national call to an 01 or 02 number and counts towards any inclusive minutes in a caller's telephone contract. This government is also phasing out these three lines and implementing replacement numbers with an 03 prefix. In addition, all new public facing numbers are now either 01, 02, 03 or freephone 080 numbers.
	No telephone lines with the prefix 0844 or 0843 are currently in use, or have been used in the last 12 months.
	The following table shows the 0845 lines currently in use, along with the number of calls made to each over the last 12 months and, for comparison, over 2009-10:
	
		
			  2009-10 Last 12 months 
			 0845 609 0009 71,808 35,000 
			 0845 600 7979 148,143 16,435 
			 0845 602 2260 251,868 11,978

University Technical Colleges

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the university technical colleges operating in the 2012-13 academic year; and how many (a) 14, (b) 15, (c) 16, (d) 17 and (e) 18 year-olds have enrolled at each such college.

Edward Timpson: In the 2012/13 academic year, five university technical colleges (UTC) were operating. The following tables show the pupil numbers by year group (year groups 10 to 13) in UTCs operating in the 2012/13 academic year in England.
	
		
			 Capacity and pupil numbers by year group(1) (year groups 10 to 13) in university technical colleges operating in the 2012/13 academic year in England 
			    Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 
			 Unique reference number School name Year of opening Capacity for year group Actual pupil number Capacity for year group Actual pupil number Capacity for year group Actual pupil number 
			 136933 Black Country UTC 2011 120 23 120 60 120 45 
			 138199 Central Bedfordshire UTC 2012 n/a n/a n/a n/a 150 (2)45 
			 138222 Aston University Engineering Academy 2012 120 57 n/a n/a 60 80 
			 138265 Hackney University Technical College 2012 100 77 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 139234 JCB Academy 2010 120 136 120 114 150 76 
		
	
	
		
			    Year 13    
			 Unique reference number School name Year of opening Capacity for year group Actual pupil number Total headcount (all years)(3) Total capacity(4) Total headcount as a % of capacity 
			 136933 Black Country UTC 2011 120 46 175 480 36 
			 138199 Central Bedfordshire UTC 2012 n/a (2)0 50 150 30 
			 138222 Aston University Engineering Academy 2012 n/a n/a 135 180 76 
			 138265 Hackney University Technical College 2012 n/a n/a 75 100 77 
			 139234 JCB Academy 2010 150 33 360 540 66 
			 n/a = Not applicable. (1) Year group is the national curriculum year group in which the pupil is taught for the majority of time, regardless of their chronological age. Pupils in year group 10 will typically be aged 14 at the start of the academic year. (2) Indicates a figure that includes only one gender where the other been suppressed to maintain individual confidentiality. (3) Head count figures are rounded to the nearest five pupils. (4) Capacity of the years the school recruited to. Source of pupil numbers: School census January 2013.

Vocational Training

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many young people have started the 16 to 19 traineeship programme since its inception;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of young people who have started the 16-19 traineeship programme have enrolled at an educational training provider to undertake the English and mathematics component of the programme.

Matthew Hancock: Data on young people starting traineeships is not yet available. The first data on traineeship starts will be published by the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills at the end of January 2014 in the Statistical First Release, “Further Education and Skills: Learner Participation, Outcomes and Level of Highest Qualification Held”.(1)
	(1) http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current/

Vocational Training

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what financial penalties and other obligations are in place upon providers of the 16 to 19 traineeship programme to ensure that young people undertake the English and mathematics component.

Matthew Hancock: Funding conditions on the provision of English and mathematics are laid out in the Education Funding Agency's (EFA) guidance to 16-19 providers. This guidance is for all study programmes, including traineeships. There is a clear policy commitment that the teaching of English and mathematics will become a condition of funding with effect from September 2014.
	The EFA is monitoring provider delivery in 2013 to 2014 and is issuing reports where a provider's data indicates that a student should have been offered English and mathematics, but no such provision is in evidence. An advisory note is issued to say that if this occurs in the next academic year (beginning 1 August 2014) the provider will have breached the condition of funding and will lose funding for the trainee.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question 170943 from the hon. Member for Cardiff West, tabled on 10 October 2013 for answer on 15 October 2013, on surplus places in free schools.

Edward Timpson: I have answered the hon. Member's question today.

Young Offender Institutions: Education

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what education providers provide services in young offender institutions.

David Laws: Three education and training providers hold contracts with the Education Funding Agency to deliver learning and skills in the public sector under-18 Young Offender Institutions. They are The Manchester College, Action for Employment (A4e) and CfBT Education Trust.
	Four education and training providers hold contracts with the Skills Funding Agency to deliver learning and skills in the public sector Young Offender Institutions for 18 to 21-year-olds. They are The Manchester College, Action for Employment (A4e), Milton. Keynes College and Weston College.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Bedford

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum legacy cases in Bedford constituency are outstanding.

Mark Harper: As of 11 November 2013, there are 37 persons within the Older Live Cases Unit—Asylum Legacy Cohort that have outstanding cases and are recorded as living in the Bedford constituency.
	The information has been provided from local management information and has not been quality assured to the level of published National Statistics. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

Asylum: Syria

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many resettlement places have been made available to Syrian refugees in the UK as part of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Syria resettlement and humanitarian admission programme; and what information her Department holds on how many such places have been made available to Syrian refugees in (a) Australia, (b) Austria, (c) Canada, (d) Finland, (e) Germany, (f) France, (g) Norway, (h) Sweden and (i) the US.

Mark Harper: The Government shares the deep concerns regarding the continuing humanitarian crisis in Syria. However, the Government has no current plans to resettle Syrian refugees either as part of, or in addition to, its annual resettlement quota. We continue to believe that the priority should be to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced people in partnership with neighbouring countries and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. The UK has now increased its pledge for the Syrian relief effort to £500 million. This represents the UK's largest ever response to a humanitarian crisis.
	The Government does not hold comprehensive information about the resettlement or humanitarian places which other states may set aside in response to the crisis in Syria, which is a matter for their respective Governments to determine.

Breathalysers: Scotland

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when equipment in Scotland to test alcohol levels in drivers will be recalibrated in line with the Scottish Government's new legal limit of 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Damian Green: The testing of devices required for the reduction in the prescribed breath/alcohol limit in Scotland will be completed by the end of September 2014.

Domestic Violence

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic homicide reviews have been undertaken since April 2011; and in how many such cases (a) the perpetrator had an alcohol misuse problem or was drinking at or around the time of the fatal attack and (b) was known to health services as having a mental health problem.

Norman Baker: Since the introduction of Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) in April 2011 we have had 169 notifications that a review is being conducted.
	It is difficult to isolate individual factors from the complex range of circumstances that precede a domestic homicide, and we do not hold the information requested. However the latest published crime survey figures show that 21% of victims of partner abuse report that the offender was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the abuse, and 10% of victims reported that they were under the influence of alcohol at the time.
	We will shortly be publishing a ‘lessons learned’ document, identifying the key issues that arise in Domestic Homicide Reviews.

Entry Clearances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitor visas were issued in each of the last five years; and how many holders of such visas over-stayed.

Mark Harper: holding answer 8 November 2013
	The information requested on visitor visas issued is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Entry clearance visas issued by category: Visitors 
			  Main applicant Dependant Total 
			 2008 1,192,189 145,723 1,337,912 
			 2009 1,232,061 133,540 1,365,601 
		
	
	
		
			 2010 1,352,782 165,918 1,518,700 
			 2011 1,494,637 189,009 1,683,646 
			 2012 1,510,434 185,634 1,696,068 
			 Source: Immigration Statistics, April to June 2013, Tables be.04 
		
	
	The latest Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visitor visas issued are published in the release Immigration Statistics April to June 2013, table B.04, which is available from the Library of the House and on the Department's website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release
	In regards to the number of visitors who have overstayed their visa, the Home Office is not able to provide this information. It is not possible to accurately quantify the number of immigration offenders in the UK as by their very nature those that deliberately evade immigration control to enter and stay in the country illegally are not officially recorded until they come to light and are arrested.
	The Home Office continues to prevent abuse, pursue offenders and increase compliance with immigration law—our Immigration Compliance and Enforcement teams across the UK target illegal migrants who have no right to live and work in the community.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits Ministers from her Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Home Office Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of individuals and organisations as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of travel and meetings with external organisations are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many times the UK has (a) received information from and (b) provided information to other EU member states as a result of Article 16 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA in each of the last five years; and what importance in preventing terrorism such information had in each case;
	(2)  how many times UK officers have been provided with protection and assistance by another EU member state as a result of Article 20 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA in each of the last five years; and what the substance and effect of this protection and assistance was in each case;
	(3)  how many times the UK has provided officers of another EU member state with protection and assistance as a result of Article 20 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA in each of the last five years; and what the substance and effect of this protection and assistance was in each case;
	(4)  how many times the UK has (a) received assistance from and (b) provided assistance to one or more other EU member state as a result of Article 18 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA in each of the last five years; and what role such assistance played in each case in preventing crime and disorder;
	(5)  how many joint operations have been conducted in the UK in each of the last five years pursuant to Article 17 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA; how many officers and officials of other EU member states, and from which member states, took part in each such operation; and what the aims and outcomes of each such operation were;
	(6)  how many joint operations have been conducted in another EU member state, pursuant to Article 17 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA involving UK officers or officials in each of the last five years; how many UK officers and officials took part in each such operation; and what the aims and outcome of each such operation were.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 23 October 2013
	The UK has implemented Articles 16, 18 and 20 administratively but no requests for assistance have been received from other member states and no information has been provided to other member states by the UK.
	The UK has not conducted any joint operations in the last five years pursuant to Article 17 of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA. The UK conducts Joint Investigation Teams (JiTs) pursuant to Council Framework Decision 2002/465/JHA.
	This measure is included in the set of measures that the Government will seek to rejoin in the national interest.
	The Government has been, clear that it cannot fully implement all the requirements of the Prüm decisions before 1 December 2014. As the UK has opted out of the Prüm decisions, there will be no risk that the UK will be subject to infraction proceedings by the European Commission as a result.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in her Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Permanent Secretary of the Home Office has made one visit to the European Commission in the last three years. Senior officials regularly visit the European Commission when their duties require them to do so. We do not keep details of such visits.

Hillsborough Independent Panel

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether she has made an assessment on the effect the National Crime Agency will have on the ongoing investigations into the Hillsborough disaster;
	(2)  whether Jon Stoddart will be seconded to the National Crime Agency; and what implications this will have on his investigation into the Hillsborough disaster.

Theresa May: holding answer 10 October 2013
	My written ministerial statement of 19 December 2012, Official Report, columns 110-112WS, set out the intention to transfer the independent Hillsborough investigation under lead police investigator, Jon Stoddart, from the Home Office to the National Crime Agency (NCA) once it was fully operational. The NCA launched on 7 October 2013. Officials are working through the details of the transfer arrangements.
	In order to lead the investigation with police powers while on secondment to the Home Office, Jon Stoddart was initially appointed to the Metropolitan police as an assistant commissioner (a rank equivalent to chief constable). The secondment to the Home Office ensured that independence from the police was maintained.
	Now that the agency is operational, it enables final arrangements to be made to transfer the investigation to the NCA. The NCA is a new law enforcement agency and non-ministerial department with a national remit and responsibility for investigating serious crime and organised crime. It is therefore appropriate that Jon Stoddart is transferred to the NCA to complete his independent Hillsborough investigation. Locating the investigation in the NCA will continue to ensure that the management arrangements for the Hillsborough investigation are impartial and independent of any police force.

Hillsborough Independent Panel

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the implications of Jon Stoddart's secondment to the National Crime Agency for the Hillsborough investigation; and on what date he is due to be seconded.

Theresa May: holding answer 18 October 2013
	My written ministerial statement of 19 December 2012, Official Report, columns 110-12WS, set out the intention to transfer the independent Hillsborough investigation under lead police investigator, Jon Stoddart, from the Home Office to the National Crime Agency (NCA) once it was fully operational. The NCA launched on 7 October 2013. Officials are working through the details of the transfer arrangements.
	In order to lead the investigation with police powers while on secondment to the Home Office, Jon Stoddart was initially appointed to the Metropolitan police as an assistant commissioner (a rank equivalent to chief constable). The secondment to the Home Office ensured that independence from the police was maintained.
	Now that the agency is operational, it enables final arrangements to be made to transfer the investigation to the NCA. The NCA is a new law enforcement agency and non-ministerial department with a national remit and responsibility for investigating serious crime and organised crime. It is therefore appropriate that Jon Stoddart is transferred to the NCA to complete his independent Hillsborough investigation. Locating the investigation in the NCA will continue to ensure that the management arrangements for the Hillsborough investigation are impartial and independent of any police force.

Immigration Controls

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deployments of UK Border Force personnel were made to arrivals in the UK via (a) General Aviation (private airfields) and (b) General Maritime (private marinas) that were categorised as high risk in 2012-13, in accordance with the compliance obligations summarised in the National Audit Office document, The Border Force: Securing the Border, published in August 2013.

Mark Harper: holding answer 12 November 2013
	To release the information requested, which is operationally sensitive, would be contrary to the interests of national security.

Immigration Controls

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms UK Border Force personnel have to verify the accuracy of information given by passengers arriving in the UK via private airfields.

Mark Harper: holding answer 12 November 2013
	Border Force has a range of intelligence tools and methods to assess the overall risk of the arriving flight including the veracity of the information provided. To release the specific methods would be contrary to the interests of National Security.

Kings Science Academy

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will commission an urgent independent inquiry on why Action Fraud did not investigate allegations of fraud at Kings Science Academy, Bradford, referred to it by the Department for Education in April 2013, until October 2013.

James Brokenshire: Action Fraud processes more than 18,000 crime reports and 12,000 information reports a month, and has a strict audit process in place to verify these reports. Action Fraud identified that an administrative error took place which led to the Department for Education's report of fraud at Kings Science Academy being categorised as an information report, rather than a crime report. The case is now being investigated by West Yorkshire police.
	I do not believe an independent inquiry is necessary; Action Fraud has apologised to the Department for Education for this error and has taken steps to improve staff awareness and training.

Offenders: Mental Health Services

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on steps to ensure there is a safe and appropriate emergency care pathway in place for offenders experiencing mental health issues (a) at the point of arrest and (b) once in police custody.

Damian Green: If a person is experiencing mental health problems and is arrested and taken to police custody, they will often have access to liaison and diversion services.
	These schemes aim to improve health and justice outcomes for adults and children who come into contact with the criminal justice system, in police custody and courts, by identifying and assessing health needs as early as possible. They aim to link offenders to appropriate treatment and to better inform charging and sentencing decisions as they progress through the criminal justice system.
	The Home Office, Department of Health and Ministry of Justice are taking forward work to roll out liaison and diversion schemes in police custody suites nationally. The Government has committed to implement such services nationally subject to approval of a business case.

Police: Sussex

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total amount of successful compensation claims made against Sussex Police in each of the last five years by value and number is.

Damian Green: The information requested is not collected centrally; this is a matter for Sussex police.

Prosecutions

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what a non-police prosecuting agency is; and what function it performs;
	(2)  if she will list the non-police prosecuting agencies recognised by the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Damian Green: There is no formal definition of a non-police prosecuting agency (NPPA). There are a number of Government, regulatory or other organisations who pursue prosecutions either under the statutory power granted to them to do so or under a common law power. The Home Office does not hold a central list of non-police prosecuting agencies.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people employed by her Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not record its employees' qualifications in a central location so the information could be obtained only by a manual search of personnel files which would incur a disproportionate cost to the Home Department.

Terrorism Act 2000

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response the UK Government will make to the decision by the European Court of Human Rights to mount a legal challenge to Section 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

James Brokenshire: Schedule 7 is a vital part of the United Kingdom's security arrangements enabling police to examine individuals at ports to determine their involvement in terrorism. The Government is contesting an application before the European Court of Human Rights which claims that Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000 is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Government has submitted observations on the admissibility and merits of the application, brought by an individual examined under Schedule 7. The Government is strongly of the view there has been no violation of the Convention in the applicant's case.

TRANSPORT

Birmingham Airport

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the expansion of Birmingham airport; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: I have not received any recent representations on the expansion of Birmingham airport.

Bus Services

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with the Senior Traffic Commissioner since May 2010 on the role Quality Contract schemes can play in local partnership working between local authorities and bus operators; and what assessment he has made of that role;
	(2)  if he will issue updated guidance on Quality Contract schemes to (a) local authorities, (b) bus operators and (c) traffic commissioners.

Stephen Hammond: The role of the Senior Traffic Commissioner in relation to Quality Contract Schemes is set out in the Transport Act 2000.
	In December 2009, following changes to the legislative framework for Quality Contract Schemes made by the Local Transport Act 2008, the Department issued guidance to the Senior Traffic Commissioner, Quality Contract boards and Local Transport Authorities in England about the exercise of their functions in relation to Quality Contract Schemes. Some parts of the guidance were statutory guidance. There are no current plans to update it.
	Other than in relation to the statutory role of the Senior Traffic Commissioner, and that of her Traffic Commissioner colleagues, in the process, there has been no discussion with the Senior Traffic Commissioner about Quality Contract Schemes.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Stephen Hammond: In the central Department for Transport there are no direct employees who are paid less than the living wage rates as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. Across the six executive agencies there are 493 direct employees who are paid less than the living wage rates as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. The Department for Transport does not hold information on the earnings of contracted employees. The number of direct employees of the Department and its six executive agencies who are on zero hours contracts is nine. All are qualified type approval engineers.
	The number of direct and contracted employees in the department's arm’s length bodies who are paid less than the rates as defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage is fewer than five and for reasons of confidentiality the precise number has been withheld. There are no direct employees on zero-hour contracts in the Department's arm’s length bodies.

East Coast Railway Line

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 404, on East Coast Main Line Ltd, whether the Dutch, French and German national railways will be able to bid for the East Coast Main Line franchise; and whether the current operator of the line will be barred from so bidding.

Stephen Hammond: The current statutory regime under section 26 of the Railways Act 1993 is that the Secretary of State may select the person who is to be the franchisee in relation to a franchise agreement from among those who submit tenders in response to Invitations to Tender. The Secretary of State intends to select all franchise operators in this way unless the exceptions set out in his Section 26 policy statement apply.
	Directly Operated Railways (DOR) was set up to act as the “operator of last Resort” in the event that the Secretary of State needs to step in to secure the provision of rail passenger services in accordance with his duty under section 30 of the Railways Act 1993. Section 25 of the same Act would prevent DOR from itself responding to Invitations to Tenders to operate franchised rail passenger services.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page.
	The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v)_1.pdf
	In the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington)’s written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011 Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what EU directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do
	The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol 21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to title v of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department calculated the contingency sums included in the estimated costs for the (a) construction of and (b) rolling stock for High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill: The approach to calculating contingency for HS2 is set out in the HS2 Cost and Risk Status Report recently published by HS2 Ltd alongside the strategic and economic cases.
	For Phase One construction costs the contingency has been estimated using a Quantified Risk Assessment.
	For Phase Two construction costs the contingency includes, on top of the Quantified Risk Assessment, an explicit allowance for Optimism Bias. The difference in approach for the two phases represents the more advanced stage of design and development of Phase One.
	A Quantified Risk Assessment has not been carried out in relation to Rolling Stock manufacturing costs. While the base estimates used by HS2 Ltd are towards the upper end of evidence collected regarding European rolling stock contract awards additional optimism bias has been applied. The uplifts applied are set out in the HS2 Cost and Risk Status Report.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is responsible for track and infrastructure maintenance on High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill: Phase one of High Speed Two from London to Birmingham will not open until 2026. No decision has been taken on who will be responsible for the future maintenance of the line.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the economic benefit to the North East of High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill: High Speed 2 (HS2) will deliver a transformational change in journey times, capacity and connectivity between major cities in the UK. It will enable cities in the north-east such as Newcastle, York and Leeds to fulfil their economic potential by bringing them closer together as well as to London. Journey time improvements will be possible from new classic-compatible high speed trains serving these cities. HS2 will free up space for additional commuter, regional and freight services on the classic network offering more services to meet local needs.
	HS2 Ltd recently commissioned KPMG to produce a report looking at the regional economic impact of HS2. The report, which was published in September 2013, shows that the estimated annual benefit for the north-east region is between £500 million and £700 million in 2037. This would represent a 1.1% to 1.6% increase as a proportion of regional gross value added.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the frequency of train services between Newcastle and London after High Speed 2 has become operational.

Robert Goodwill: The Department's aim is that all towns or cities which currently have a direct service to London will retain broadly comparable or better services once HS2 is completed.
	It is not appropriate to specify the exact timetable for train services that are planned to operate in 2026 when HS2 Phase 1 services begin. The detailed timetable development will take place nearer the time and will consider operational considerations as well as the forecast passenger demand for services.
	As highlighted in the Strategic Case, published on 29 October, in partnership with the railway industry, we intend to announce, shortly, a transparent and participatory process to consider long-term issues, opportunities and options for rail services on HS2 corridors. This will consider how these services can support the delivery of economic growth on a sustainable basis.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many High Speed 2 Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS) applications have been rejected on grounds that they failed to fulfil EHS criteria (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five to date.

Robert Goodwill: As at 11 November 2013:
	
		
			 Criterion Applications rejected 
			 Phase 1  
			 One 29 
			 Two 117 
			 Three 194 
		
	
	
		
			 Four 0 
			 Five 283 
			   
			 Phase 2  
			 One 1 
			 Two 4 
			 Three 10 
			 Four 0 
			 Five 7 
			 Notes: 1. Applications that have been accepted overall, despite not meeting one or more of the criteria, have been excluded from the table. 2. The above totals reflect all rejected applications including all reapplications and those from applicants whose later reapplications were accepted.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the extension of High Speed 2 to Yorkshire will be complete.

Robert Goodwill: Subject to statutory and parliamentary approvals, we expect phase two of HS2, from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester, to be complete by 2032-33. Testing of the line is expected to start in early 2031.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the EU regulation on periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and the inclusion of caravans within that regulation.

Robert Goodwill: This separate proposal for caravans is an initiative of the European Parliament. There have been no discussions at ministerial level as the UK and other member states adopted a general approach last December that does not include caravans in periodic roadworthiness testing. This remains our position in current negotiations.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Cabinet Office on the review of resources for non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department; and when he expects the review of resources for traffic commissioners to begin.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport (DFT) is in a regular contact with the Cabinet Office on the Public Bodies Reform agenda. Over 900 bodies were subject to a cross-government review undertaken by all Departments in spring/summer 2010, including 15 of DFT's NDPBs. Five of DFTs NDPBs have since been abolished. The Traffic Commissioners and Deputies was one of the bodies retained on grounds of performing a function which requires impartiality.
	All the executive, advisory and Tribunal NDPBs, and Independent Monitoring Boards are reviewed triennially, as required by the Cabinet Office.
	The Traffic Commissioners are a Tribunal NDPB and thus in scope of the triennial reviews. The upcoming Traffic Commissioners review is due to be announced by a written ministerial statement before the end of the financial year.

Public Transport: Greater London

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the report, The TAS Partnership Limited (2003). Lessons from London: a report for DFT. TAS: London.

Stephen Hammond: A copy of the report will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Railways: Construction

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 178W, on railways: construction, how many of the trains using the proposed single track link between High Speed 1 and High Speed 2 will be domestic services.

Robert Goodwill: High Speed 2 currently assume that 1 train every 2 hours will operate an international service along the link with High Speed 1. The link has capacity for 3 trains per hour in each direction. There is flexibility to use the remaining 2.5 hourly paths for domestic or further international services. How to best use these available paths has not yet been fully analysed. However preliminary modelling of domestic and international demand leads us to believe this potential level of service, using a single track link, will be more than adequate to cater for the demand.

Railways: South West

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2013, Official Report, column 45W, on railways: south west, what station improvement outcomes his Department has specified in the current franchise agreement with South West Trains; and what information his Department holds on funding obtained by South West trains for station investment on the South West line from non-departmental sources.

Stephen Hammond: The Department has specified a number of station improvement outcomes as Committed Obligations, which can be found in appendix 11 to the franchise agreement. A copy of the public register version of the franchise agreement can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/182167/sswt-franchise-agreement.pdf
	With regard to funding obtained by South West Trains for station investment from non-departmental sources, there is no obligation on the franchisee to supply such information. The Department does hold some information, but much of this is commercially sensitive.
	The two major programmes for station improvements are Access for All and the National Stations Improvement Programme.
	The Access for All programme is made up of main, mid-tier and small schemes. No third-party funding is required for the main scheme. The mid- tier scheme does have some third-party funding and we hold some information but it would incur disproportionate costs to identify that for all relevant mid-tier projects; for small schemes we do not have any information with regard to non-Department funding sources.
	Network Rail funds the National Stations Improvement Programme. The Department does not hold the required level of detail for how much has been spent by region; such detailed information is held by Network Rail and the relevant train operator.

Railways: South West

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2013, Official Report, columns 45-6W, on railways: south west, what proportion of the £3.2 million investment in wi-fi technology on 45 Class 444 Desiro trains will be met by (a) South West Trains, (b) Network Rail and (c) Siemens.

Stephen Hammond: South West Trains have informed the Department that the original estimated cost of £3.2 million has, following a competitive procurement exercise, been reduced to £2.5 million.
	The full investment is being made initially by Angel Trains, as the owner of the Class 444 fleet.
	South West Trains are leasing the rolling stock from Angel Trains. Although the Department holds the information for franchise leasing costs, such information in commercially sensitive.
	No direct investment costs fall to either Network Rail or Siemens as part of this project.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review double counting for renewable transport fuel certificates.

Robert Goodwill: I refer the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington to the answer given to the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Dan Rogerson) on 5 June 2013, Official Report, column 1201W, by the Minister for Crime Prevention, the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport. We expect to publish a draft post implementation review of the support provided under the renewable transport fuel obligation shortly.

Roads

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities have implemented highway asset management plans to date; and what the estimated cost saving made by each such council is.

Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport recognises the value of good asset management in delivering effective and efficient highway services to meet local needs. However, in England the development of highways asset management plans and strategies are a matter for each local highway authority, therefore, the Department does not hold data on how many authorities have implemented asset management plans.
	The Department continues to work closely with the UK Roads Liaison Group, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) and others to help spread best practice in highways asset management, including through the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme which the Department for Transport is sponsoring. This is a sector-led transformation programme designed to maximise returns from highways investment and deliver efficient and effective services.
	To help local highway authorities manage and maintain their assets, the Programme recently published specific asset management advice available at the following weblink:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/hmep/efficiency/asset-management.php

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Stephen Hammond: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			 Area/agency Number Comments Calls received in last 12 months Alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case 
			 Highways Agency (HA) 0845 750 4030 This is the old Highways Agency Information Line (HAIL) phone number. The HA has paid for it to now operate as a diversion number to the new cheaper number (0300 123 5000). It has been retained as it may appear on old literature but is not advertised anymore. The HA will be turning the 0845 number off shortly, thus forcing customers to use the cheaper 0300 number. 11,077 HA only advertise the 0300 HAIL number (0300 1235000) now(1). 
			 Highways Agency 0845 955 6575 This is the national Highways Agency switchboard number. 24,823 HA also advertise the local landline number: 0121 335 8301. 
			 VOSA (Vehicle Operators Services Agency) 0845 600 5977 This number offers guidance on MOT testing standards and an option to book MOT seminars. (2)— Both of these options are also available via the VOSA National Number, 0300 123 9000, which is charged at standard geographic rate.(1) 
			 (1) 0300 numbers are charged at standard geographic rate (the same as 01 or 02 numbers) and are free as part of "inclusive minute" packages. (2) Due to replacement of our telephony systems, statistics are only available from December 2012 to present, in this time. VOSA received 3,345 calls via this number.

Visits Abroad

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, his Department has made in each year since 2010; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport and its executive agencies' gross expenditure on overseas trips was:
	
		
			 £ 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Overseas flights 839,824 825,366 902,634 
			 Overseas internal travel 87,265 78,454 87,334 
			 Overseas hotel accommodation 181,581 187,362 172,115 
			 Overseas travel and subsistence 1,940,535 1,668,245 307,624 
			 Air travel 0 0 1,313,660 
			 Total 3,049,206 2,759,428 2,783,367 
			 Notes: 1. Gross costs are included above, but the majority of costs incurred by Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Vehicle Certification Agency are recharged to clients. The net cost is approximately £1 million per year lower. 2. The Department is unable to provide a number of trips as that data is not recorded in its systems. 3. Since 2012-13, monies spent by the central Department have been broken down by mode. ‘Air travel’ in 2012-13 therefore includes a number of UK flights that cannot be split out of the total without disproportionate cost and does not include overseas subsistence. 4. Driving Standards Agency does not record travel costs split by flights, internal travel, hotel accommodation and subsistence. 5. Vehicle and Operator Services Agency does not record travel costs at this level of detail and therefore it would be disproportionate cost to provide this information.

TREASURY

Absenteeism

Michael Dugher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rates of staff (a) absence and (b) sickness absence in his Department in each of the past five years were; and what the departmental targets were in each case.

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury do not report on all rates of absence and this information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
	Please see following a table on sickness absence for the last eight years:
	
		
			 HM Treasury 
			  Average working days lost 
			 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 4.1 
			 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 3.9. 
			 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 3.4 
			 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 3.6 
			 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 3.6 
			 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 4.7 
			 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 5.6 
			 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 5.5 
		
	
	HM Treasury does not set a target for sickness absence however HM Treasury is firmly committed to the wellbeing of its staff and keeps under review various techniques and practices which support this commitment. There is an on-site Occupational Health service and access to an Employee Assistance Programme and guidance on a range of issues including managing stress in the workplace. In addition staff have access to a range of optional wellbeing services which are provided on site at full cost to the user.

Air Passenger Duty

Alan Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce time-limited exceptions from air passenger duty on new long haul routes from regional airports.

Nicky Morgan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 5 November 2013, Official Report, column 103.

Business: Loans

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the Business Investment Bank.

Sajid Javid: The Chancellor has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Business on a range of issues including the Government's interventions to improve access to finance for SMEs.

Children: Day Care

Lucy Powell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of families with children aged under five in which one or more parents receives vouchers under the current childcare voucher scheme;
	(2)  how many children of each age there are in the 550,000 families that currently receive childcare vouchers;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of families entitled to receive vouchers under the current childcare voucher scheme that did not use those vouchers in each of the last five years.

Sajid Javid: The Government estimates that in 2013-14, 10% of families with children aged under five are in receipt of child care vouchers from their employer, amounting to 350,000 such families being in receipt of vouchers.
	The Government estimates that in 2013-14 there are some 550,000 individual recipients of child care vouchers in approximately 450,000 families. The Government has not reliably estimated the numbers of children of different ages in recipient families.
	No estimate is available of numbers of families entitled to receive vouchers who did not use them.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Nicky Morgan: No direct employees and contracted workers of HM Treasury, Office of Budget Responsibility and Debt Management Office are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. There are no employees on zero hour's contracts in HM Treasury, the Office of Budget Responsibility and the Debt Management Office.

Credit: Interest Rates

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the use of real time credit rating reporting to promote competition for pay day loan companies.

Sajid Javid: The rules on how credit reference agencies share data in the UK credit market are set by the cross-industry Steering Committee on Reciprocity (SCOR), which includes representatives from trade associations and lenders. The Government agrees with the strong message from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to SCOR to identify and remove any blockages involving payday lenders as a matter of urgency.
	The Government has made clear to lenders that credit data sharing is key to proper affordability assessments and promoting a competitive market and more progress on recording and using payday lending data in real time is vital to addressing problems around multiple loans.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his proposed rural fuel discount extension will apply to road fuel gases as well as to conventional automotive fuels.

Nicky Morgan: Road fuel gases are currently subject to a reduced rate of fuel duty relative to the main rate on petrol and diesel.
	The rural fuel rebate scheme, and any extension, only applies to the following fuels: petrol, diesel, biodiesel, bioblend and bioethnanol.

Excise Duties: Tobacco

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the case for introducing secure excise duty revenue protection systems for cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco.

Nicky Morgan: HM Revenue and Customs already operates a financial securities system whereby businesses must provide financial security in the form of a guarantee for all duty payments unless they are approved under the 'Excise Payment Security System'.(EPSS). EPSS is only available to businesses with a proven good compliance record. This EPSS system is currently being reviewed to ensure that it provides effective protection for the collection of all excise duties, including cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco duty.

Excise Duties: Tobacco

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue excise duty has been foregone on (a) cigarettes and (b) hand-rolling tobacco in each year since 2010-11 due to fraud and smuggling.

Nicky Morgan: Estimates of total revenue losses associated with the tobacco illicit market are published in ‘Tobacco Tax Gap estimates: 2012-13’. These estimates cannot be disaggregated by the type of illicit activity, eg through smuggling, counterfeiting or other fraud.
	The excise duty losses due to the cigarette illicit market, and the excise duty losses due to the hand rolling tobacco illicit market for the last five years are set out in tables 4.1 and 4.5 of the publication respectively.
	The methodology for producing the estimates are provided in the ‘Methodological Annex for Measuring Tax Gaps 2013’.
	Both documents can be accessed via the following page on the HMRC website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/tax-gaps.htm

Food

Therese Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the definition of food as '"Food" should be interpreted as meaning food for human consumption. Where a mammal or bird is primarily reared for use as food, but certain portions of the carcass (particularly where they may be considered as in the nature of a by-product) are used for other purposes (eg the use of certain offal in the production of pet food), this should not be taken as disqualifying the animals from the definition of livestock. However, animals (eg rabbits) raised expressly for use in pet food should be considered as outside the definition' was added to paragraph 5.3.2 Section 8, Part D: Agricultural Premises of Volume 4 of the Rating Manual of the Valuation Office Agency.

David Gauke: The wording of paragraphs 5.3.2 Section 8 Part D: Agricultural Premises of Volume 4 of the Valuation Office Agency's Rating Manual has not changed since at least 1997.

Food Banks: Northwich

Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his oral answer of 5 November 2013, Official Report, column 120, on what date he visited the food bank in Northwich; what the name was of that food bank; and how many service users he met during his visit.

Nicky Morgan: The Chancellor of the Exchequer visited a food bank in Northwich in his capacity as the Member of Parliament for Tatton.

Interest Rate Swap Transactions

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons embedded interest rate swaps are not eligible for the FCA-administered compensation scheme.

Sajid Javid: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) does not have regulatory powers over business lending. As a result, the FCA supervised review can only cover interest rate hedging products that were agreed separately to a business loan which are classified as derivative contracts and therefore fall into the FCA's Conduct of Business Rules through the implementation of the markets in financial instruments directive.

Keydata Investment Services

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Financial Services Compensation Scheme has made on compensating consumers who were mis-sold Keydata products; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: Keydata Investment Services was declared in default in June 2009. Since that time the FSCS has processed over 38,000 claims, paying compensation of around £329 million. 70 claims remain under investigation; primarily the outstanding claims are those which have been received in recent months.

Keydata Investment Services

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Financial Conduct Authority has made on investigating claims that independent financial advisers mis-sold Keydata products; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: The Financial Services Compensation Scheme's (FSCS) court proceedings against a large number of IFA firms in connection with the sale of Keydata Investment Services products are still continuing. To date, FSCS has settled claims with a number of defendants for a variety of reasons, the terms of which are confidential.
	Since the Case Management Conference in the Lifemark and SLS proceedings in March, FSCS has selected six Lead Case Defendants (LCD) to advance defences in relation to a number of lead cases, which will give a representative set of investor claims to be heard by the court. Based on the current timetable, LCDs' defences are expected shortly. A further Case Management Conference is scheduled for February 2014.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Hilary Benn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of Help to Buy applicants to date were (a) not UK nationals and (b) non-domiciled in the UK;
	(2)  what proportion of Help to Buy applicants to date were aged between (a) 20 and 29, (b) 30 and 39, (c) 40 and 49, (d) 50 and 59 and (e) 60 and 69 years old;
	(3)  what the highest value mortgage applied for under the Help to Buy scheme has been to date.

Sajid Javid: The Government is committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. The Government wants current and future generations to experience the benefits of owning their own home, in the same way their parents were able to. Since the financial crisis, larger deposit requirements and falling equity values mean many credit-worthy households cannot get a mortgage, or are trapped in their existing homes unable to take the next steps.
	On 8 October, the Government published the scheme rules for the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. Lenders are now able to sign up to the Scheme and originate mortgages that will be eligible for the Scheme when it opens in January.
	The Government has worked with participating banks to collect data on the first month of the Scheme. The figures demonstrate that Government-backed Help to Buy scheme is supporting responsible lending. On average households have asked to borrow around £155,000 for houses worth about £163,000, which is below the UK average price of £247,000.
	More than 2,000 people have put in offers on homes under the Scheme totalling £365 million of new mortgage lending. More than three quarters of the applicants are first time buyers and many in their early thirties, demonstrating that the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme is helping hardworking people realise their home-owning aspirations.
	Once the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme opens in January, the Government will collect data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Hilary Benn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what statistics his Department collects on the demographics of Help to Buy applicants; and if he will place in the Library the latest such statistics.

Sajid Javid: The Government is committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. The Government wants current and future generations to experience the benefits of owning their own home, in the same way their parents were able to. Since the financial crisis, larger deposit requirements and falling equity values mean many credit-worthy households cannot get a mortgage, or are trapped in their existing homes unable to take the next step.
	On 8 October, the Government published the scheme rules for the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme, allowing lenders to sign up to the scheme and originate mortgages that will be eligible for the scheme when it opens in January.
	The Government has worked with participating banks to collect data on the first month of the scheme. More than three quarters of the applicants are first-time buyers and many in their early 30s, demonstrating that the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme is helping hardworking people realise their home-owning aspirations.
	The banks have received applications from across the country with more than three quarters coming from outside London and the south-east.
	Once the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme opens in January, the Government will collect data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Hilary Benn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of applicants under the Help to Buy scheme to date have been first-time buyers.

Sajid Javid: The Government is committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. The Government wants current and future generations to experience the benefits of owning their own home, in the same way their parents were able to. Since the financial crisis, larger deposit requirements and falling equity values mean many credit-worthy households cannot get a mortgage, or are trapped in their existing homes unable to take the next step.
	In the one month since the publication of the scheme rules on 8 October, more than 2,000 people have put in applications to lenders under the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme totalling £365 million of new mortgage lending. Lenders will submit details of their loans to the Scheme when it opens in January. Once the Scheme opens in January, the Government will collect data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.
	More than three quarters of the applicants to date are first time buyers demonstrating that the Help to Buy; mortgage guarantee scheme is helping hardworking people realise their home-owning aspirations.

Mortgages: North West

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been accepted in principle for a help to buy mortgage in (a) City of Chester Constituency and (b) the North West.

Sajid Javid: On 8 October, the Government published the scheme rules for the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. Lenders are now able to sign up to the scheme and originate mortgages that will be eligible for the scheme when it opens in January.
	The Government has worked with participating banks to collect data on the first month of the scheme. Details of the applications received by the banks can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/help-to-buy-puts-new-generation-of-home-owners-on-housing-ladder
	Once the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme opens in January, the Government will collect data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.

National Insurance Contributions

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people with an annual income of less than £7,592 paid class 1 national insurance contributions in 2012-13; and what the total value of those contributions was.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 October 2013, Official Report, column 631W.

Revenue and Customs

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs is obliged to publish details of meetings in the same manner as Ministers publish ministerial diaries; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: holding answer sent 14 October
	The Government has committed to publishing details of Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external organisations at quarterly intervals. Information relating to the chief executive of H M Revenue and Customs can be found on gov.uk.

Revenue and Customs: Preston

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for staffing levels at the tax credit office in Preston following the introduction of universal credit.

David Gauke: HMRC’s tax credits work load and resource requirements will change as tax credits are stopped and claimants move to universal credit, administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
	HMRC and DWP are considering universal credit resource needs in line with universal credit roll-out plans, and it is expected that some of the staff currently working on tax credits in the Preston estate will move to DWP. However, the number of staff and timing of any such moves are dependent on universal credit roll-out.
	HMRC is working on its longer-term staffing resource needs in response to the 2013 spending review.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Bob Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much stamp duty land tax is paid on properties valued at £2 million and under each year.

David Gauke: HMRC's published Stamp Tax Statistics include breakdowns of the amount of stamp duty land tax (SDLT) collected at each SDLT rate. These can be found at the following address (Table 3.1):
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/stamp-duty/stamp-tax-sep13.pdf
	In 2012-13, a total of £4.04 billion of SDLT was collected from residential property transactions where the consideration was £2 million or less.
	These published statistics do not provide such estimates for earlier years as there was no SDLT rate threshold at £2 million. For the same reason, the statistics do not provide estimates for non-residential property transactions
	However, historic estimates of the amount of SDLT revenue collected from property transactions where the consideration was £2 million or less can be found in the following table. This includes both residential and non- residential property transactions.
	
		
			 Estimated stamp duty land tax yield from residential and non-residential property transactions 
			 £ million 
			  Residential Non-Residential 
			  £2 million and under Over £2 million £2 million and under Over £2 million 
			 2005-06 4,300 285 950 1,920 
			 2006-07 5,900 480 1,140 2,120 
			 2007-08 6,080 600 1,100 2,180 
			 2008-09 2,595 355 740 1,105 
			 2009-10 2,945 345 580 1,015 
			 2010-11 3,535 505 625 1,295 
			 2011-12 3,595 625 625 1,285 
			 2012-13 4,035 870 635 1,370

Taxation: Duchy of Cornwall

Chris Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the Duchy of Cornwall's exemption from corporation tax and capital gains tax; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: No.
	The tax arrangements for the Duchy of Cornwall are set out in the Memorandum of Understanding on Royal Taxation published on 1 5 March 2013. This replaced the Memorandum of Understanding attached to the Report of the Royal Trustees published on 11 February 1993 (HC464), a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

Taxation: Smoking

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to tax (a) shisha products and (b) electronic cigarette products.

Nicky Morgan: Shisha products that contain tobacco are already subject to tobacco products duty, as required by EU law. From 1 January 2014 herbal smoking products such as herbal water pipes (shisha) that contain no tobacco, herbal pipe smoking mixtures and herbal smoking mixtures for hand rolling into cigarettes will be liable to tobacco products duty. Herbal smoking products such as herbal water pipes (shisha) that contain no tobacco that are used exclusively for medical purposes and licensed as such will remain exempt from tobacco products duty.
	E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, and are therefore not liable to tobacco products duty; however, they are liable to VAT. The Government keep all taxes under review, and decisions on taxation are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the Budget.

Valuation Office Agency

Therese Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the procedure is for making changes to the Valuation Office Agency Rating Manual; and how such changes are publicised.

David Gauke: Changes to the Valuation Office Rating Manual are authorised by the relevant Valuation Office Agency Director.
	An update log in each volume of the Rating Manual lists the changes which have been made in each update. In addition each time the Rating Manual is changed the modified date of this document also changes to reflect the date of the latest update.
	The Rating Manual is available to view on the VOA's website at:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/Publications/business.html#rating

VAT: Disability

Derek Twigg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether HM Revenue and Customs Notice 701/7, relating to VAT reliefs for disabled people, has been promulgated with the (a) Defence Infrastructure Organisation and (b) Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for applications on future adaptation projects.

David Gauke: The VAT Notice 701/7 VAT Reliefs for Disabled People is published on the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) website at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk
	HMRC does not carry out any special activities to publicise its guidance on VAT reliefs for disabled people but it does try to ensure that suppliers of goods and services for disabled people are aware of the correct VAT liabilities. HMRC operates a telephone helpline to answer questions on the VAT reliefs available to disabled people 0300 123 1073.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Armed Conflict: Females

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on UN Security Council Resolution 2122 on Women, Peace and Security.

Mark Simmonds: As the lead sponsor of UNSCR 2122, we welcomed its unanimous adoption on 18 October. The resolution has a specific focus on women's participation in conflict resolution and peace building processes. In light of this, the UK's new National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security due to be launched in 2014 will have a greater focus on participation as it is essential that peace negotiations provide for the active participation, perspectives and needs of both men and women, The plan will incorporate UNSCR 2122 into our policy on Women, Peace and Security, along with all other successor UN Security Council resolutions following 1325.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UN Resolution 2016 is upheld, particularly with reference to ensuring that the culture of impunity surrounding sexual violence ends.

Mark Simmonds: The UK played a key role in delivering resolution 2106 (2013), which was adopted during a debate hosted by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), under the UK presidency of the Security Council, on 24 June 2013. The resolution, which built on the commitments of the G8 Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, aims to strengthen delivery of the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for sexual violence in conflict, to ensure more attention is paid to this issue throughout the wider UN peace and security agenda, and to provide a means for survivors' needs to be better addressed. We are working closely with all relevant aspects of the UN to support implementation of the resolution, and seek opportunities to include relevant aspects in UN mission mandate renewals, for example timely deployment of women protection advisers and provision of services for survivors. The UK will oversee the first ever training of women protection advisers in 2014.
	The main objective of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative is to shatter the culture of impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict. After the adoption of resolution 2106 in June, the UK has worked to secure agreement from 135 countries to endorse a new Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, launched by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at the UN on 24 September 2013. The declaration builds on resolution 2106. It has a clear focus on tackling impunity and accountability and contains a set of wider political and practical commitments. In particular it agrees that there should be no peace agreements that give amnesty to people who have ordered or carried out rape. The UK will now work with endorsing countries, the UN and civil society to turn these political commitments into practical action.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will (a) declare rape an illegal weapon of war, (b) insist that all incidents of rape are recorded and that reparations are given to survivors and (c) promote the international humanitarian law methods of war procedures.

Mark Simmonds: The British Government recognises the political force of describing rape as a prohibited weapon or tactic of war. Rape as a method of war is clearly prohibited under International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In April 2013, the G8 made a historic Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict that describes rape and sexual violence as grave breaches of the Geneva convention, as well as war crimes. This commitment was also included in the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict which was launched at the UN General Assembly in September and endorsed by 135 countries. The payment of reparations is a matter for the national Governments concerned. However, both our G8 and UNGA Declarations encourage countries to provide greater support and assistance to survivors of sexual violence. Since April 2011 the UK has committed £1.5million to the International Criminal Court's Trust Fund for Victims which aims to directly address and respond to victims' physical, psychological, or material needs. There is a need to improve the documentation and recording of rape and sexual violence in war and the UK is leading on the development of a new international protocol on the documentation and investigation of sexual violence in conflict. Under article 36 of additional protocol I to the Geneva conventions, states parties have an obligation to determine whether the employment of a new means or method of warfare would be unlawful. The UK is of the firm view that any use of rape as means or method of warfare would be unlawful.

Ascension Island

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many commercial fishing licences have been sold for the waters of Ascension Island in 2013; and what the flag state is of each vessel which has purchased one of those licences.

Mark Simmonds: The Ascension Island Government has issued 39 commercial fishing licences during 2013. The flag state of these vessels is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Taiwan 28 
			 Japan 9 
			 China 1 
			 Philippines 1 
		
	
	Fisheries management is a devolved issue and as such is the responsibility of the Ascension Island Government. A pilot commercial fishery was set up in October 2010. Since then, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has been working with the Ascension Island's authorities to develop a sustainable fisheries plan. FCO advice has included the provision of guidelines on licensing which were developed using international best practice standards. These guidelines are still in the process of being implemented on Ascension Island.

Ascension Island

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken in the last 12 months to strengthen the sustainability of the commercial fishery in Ascension Island.

Mark Simmonds: Within the last 12 months the Ascension Island Government has done much preparatory work ahead of the launch of a new commercial fishery in 2014, which will replace the existing pilot fishery. This will be managed by a new Marine Fishery Department, under a strengthened licensing regime based on those in place around other Overseas Territories. Preparations have also taken place to establish an Ascension Marine Research Facility to support the new fishery. The UK Government remains committed to carefully managed and sustainable marine fisheries throughout the Overseas Territories.

Ascension Island

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the expansion of the US airbase on Ascension Island; and the potential effect of such a move on inhabitants of the island; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: There has been no expansion of the size of the US airbase on Ascension, nor are we aware of any future plans for expansion.

Ascension Island

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure that residency on Ascension Island continues to be feasible in light of the difficulty caused as a result of the contract-based residency system.

Mark Simmonds: There has never been a right of permanent residency on Ascension Island. The contract-based residency system exists to avoid the UK taxpayer incurring the significant costs which would result if the island had to provide the necessary infrastructure and services to support a non-working resident population, such as a welfare system, additional accommodation, and provision for elderly care. All of those coming to the island do so in full knowledge that their residency on the island is conditional upon their employment.

Bangladesh

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the Prime Minister and Government of Bangladesh to step down in favour of an interim or caretaker Government for the period before the forthcoming general election in Bangladesh.

Hugh Robertson: Dates for Bangladesh elections have yet to be announced, and how the process is managed is a matter for Bangladesh. However we, and international partners, continue to encourage both parties to resolve their differences through constructive dialogue to create the necessary conditions for inclusive, free and fair elections. Most recently the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) raised this with the Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni on 13 November 2013.

Bangladesh

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will express concern to the prime minister and government of Bangladesh about the arrests of leading members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the surrounding of the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's residence by members of the Bangladesh security forces.

Hugh Robertson: The arrest of senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party opposition leaders, along with the disruption of public order through the pursuit of hartals (strikes), is destabilising the country. Our high commissioner in Dhaka issued a statement on 9 November, expressing our disappointment at the continued confrontational action between the two main parties, rather than the constructive dialogue necessary for free, fair and credible elections, in which all parties participate.

Belarus

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of EU sanctions against Belarus.

David Lidington: The UK remains a strong supporter of the EU's policy of critical engagement with Belarus, including the EU's sanctions regime. In advance of the rollover of sanctions at the end of October, EU member states conducted a thorough analysis of the situation in Belarus and the sanctions listings. Our analysis concluded that there had been no appreciable improvement in respect for human rights and democracy in Belarus, and that it was therefore appropriate to extend the sanctions for a further year. Minor amendments were made to the list of those targeted to ensure the measures remained robust and dynamic. As I noted to my hon. Friend on 30 October 2012, Official Report , column 174W, it is difficult to gauge the effectiveness of sanctions against an opaque regime like Belarus. We judge that they have had some effect; the travel ban and asset freezes are difficult for the individuals targeted, damage Belarus' image, and have had a constraining effect by encouraging others in similar roles and positions to respect human rights and the rule of law. It is also our view that by regularly reviewing sanctions measures, including the delisting of those who have ceased certain activities, we are more likely to encourage listed individuals to consider changing their behaviour.

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on recognising Tristan da Cunha and Ascension Island as separate British Overseas Territories to St Helena.

Mark Simmonds: St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are recognised as three island territories that together form a single territorial grouping under the Crown. This is set out in the 2009 Constitution and there are no plans to change this arrangement.

Burma

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking with the Department for International Development to ensure that the UK's response to the problems in Kachin State is comprehensive.

Hugo Swire: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development have been working closely together for many years to ensure the UK's response in Kachin State is comprehensive. As I set out to the House on 8 October 2013, Official Report, columns 138-140, while we continue to be concerned by recent fighting in Shan and Kachin States, we have also welcomed the constructive dialogue between the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and the Burmese Government.
	In June 2013, the Department for International Development announced £13.5 million of new humanitarian funding for Kachin State. The UK is the largest bilateral aid donor to Kachin—this aid for 2013-14 is reaching non-Government controlled areas where needs are greatest. We continue to lobby the Burmese Government to ensure that it implements its commitment in the agreement signed with the KIO in May 2013 to ensure humanitarian access to all conflict affected areas.

Burma

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Burma regarding the lack of citizenship for the Rohingya community and the incitement of inter-communal violence affecting Muslim communities in Rakhine.

Hugo Swire: The British Government has been among the most vocal in the international community in raising our concerns regarding violence against Muslim communities across Burma and the plight of the Rohingya community. During the visit of President Thein Sein to the UK in July 2013, the Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised our concerns on both issues.
	Following the most recent outbreak of violence against Kaman Muslims in Thandwe, Rakhine State, I called publicly for action to restore security and the rule of law. We welcomed both the President's visit to Rakhine State and arrests of suspected perpetrators. It will be important to ensure that those arrested and found guilty are held accountable for their crimes.
	We will continue to call for a sustainable solution to be found for .the citizenship status of the Rohingya community which is consistent with their human rights. Together with the UN, EU, US, Australia, France and Japan, British Ministers and officials will continue to lobby key Burmese Ministers with responsibility for Rakhine State on the full range of issues, including the need to resolve the citizenship status of the Rohingya community.

Burma

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to secure the release of villagers being held as hostages in Nhka Ga, Burma.

Hugo Swire: While the British Government has made no specific representations on the release of hostages in Nhka Ga, we are closely monitoring developments. We remain concerned by the recent outbreaks of fighting in both northern and southern Kachin state, particularly the potential impact fighting may have on negotiations between the Burmese Government and Kachin Independence Organisation towards a ceasefire and political dialogue. We have consistently called on both the Burmese military and the Kachin Independence Organisation to guarantee the safety of civilians and to work to ensure unfettered access for humanitarian aid, in accordance with the seven point agreement the two sides signed in May 2013.
	In early November, British embassy officials visited Myitkyina, capital of Kachin state, where talks were held between the Burmese Government and ethnic leaders, including the Kachin. They reiterated the UK’s offer of ongoing support for the peace process. We continue to call on all sides to do all they can to work towards a lasting political settlement to Burma’s long running conflicts.

Central African Republic

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of British nationals present in the Central African Republic.

Mark Simmonds: Since March 2013 we have advised all British nationals to leave the Central African Republic (CAR), and continue to advise against all travel there. However, we are aware that a small number of British nationals are in CAR or have travelled there in the last few months.

Central African Republic

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conflict in (a) Bossangoa and (b) the Central African Republic as a whole; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: Recent reports of events in Bossangoa, where the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has described the population as living in fear, illustrate the worrying continuation of violence and insecurity affecting many areas of the Central African Republic (CAR).
	Improving security as soon as possible is vital to ensure civilians are protected. This is why the UK supported October's UN Security Council resolution which encouraged African countries to participate in the deployment of an African Union peace mission, MISCA, and commissioned a UN Secretary-General report on options for international support for it. The UK has also provided £5 million of bilateral humanitarian aid to help those affected by insecurity in CAR in 2013.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Hugh Robertson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not directly employ any staff who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. We are obtaining information from commercial partners and our arm’s length bodies (ALB) about the rates paid to contract workers. I will write to the hon. Member with further information on ALB employees and contract workers once we have compiled this information.
	The FCO defines zero hours contracts as a contract of employment which does not specify a fixed number of hours per week, and has no guaranteed minimum number of hours. The FCO uses this type of contract to cope with fluctuating demand and/or retain specialist expertise no longer available in the current workforce. For instance, we bring back retired FCO officers with relevant skills/experience to act as sensitivity reviewers or VIP visit liaison officers.
	Our centrally held records do not enable us to differentiate between staff on zero hours contracts and other fee paid officers where a fixed number of hours has been specified in their contracts. I will write to the hon. Member to confirm the number of FCO staff employed on zero hours contracts once we have completed a more detailed check of individual records.

Conflict Resolution: Females

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the UK's National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women: peace and security.

Mark Simmonds: The UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP) is intended to strengthen our ability to reduce the impact of conflict on women and girls and to promote their inclusion in conflict resolution. It provides a framework for the implementation of all UN resolutions on women, peace and security following 1325. While progress has been made during the course of the 2010 to 2013 NAP, more can and must be done. Details on delivery against our objectives can be found in the three-year NAP review due to be published on 18 November 2013. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be working with partners across Government as well as civil society groups in order to draft a new NAP which will be published in 2014.

Conflict Resolution: Females

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in NATO member states about National Action Plans to implement UN Security Council Resolution: 1325 on women, peace and security.

Mark Simmonds: The UK has regular discussions with NATO Allies on conflict and peace building. The UK's delegation to NATO raises the issue of women, peace and security and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and associated resolutions where appropriate. The UK was one of several nations instrumental in ensuring UNSCR 1325 was on the agenda of the 2012 NATO Heads of State and Government summit in Chicago. Following the Chicago summit, the North Atlantic Council invited the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations to carry out the independent Review of the Practical Implications of UNSCR 1325 for the Conduct of NATO-led Operations and Missions. That review has now been completed and was endorsed by Secretaries of State for Defence and published during the NATO Defence Ministers' meeting on 22-23 October 2013. The full review can be found on the NATO website at:
	http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_91091.htm

Democratic Republic of Congo

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to ensure that stability and anti-corruption are central to the progress of that country.

Mark Simmonds: UK Ministers have had regular contact recently with those working together to build lasting stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), emphasising the need to implement the Peace, Security and Co-operation Framework for the Great Lakes. In the last month, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and I have had discussions with DRC Prime Minister Matata, DRC Foreign Minister Tshibanda, Rwandan President Kagame, Rwandan Foreign Minister Mushikiwabo, Ugandan President Museveni, UN Special Envoy Mary Robinson and UN Special Representative to the Secretary-General Martin Kobler.
	We also continue to urge the DRC Government to work to address corruption in the country. We welcome President Kabila's recent commitment to fight corruption in business, society, politics and the security sector, and his announcement that he would appoint a special adviser on corruption.

EU Law

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) opt-in web page. The website can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v0_l.pdf
	In my written statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, column 51WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures. In particular, to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

Iran

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the intention of the new Iranian regime to engage with the International Atomic Energy Agency on its nuclear programme.

Hugh Robertson: We welcome the signature of a Joint Statement on a Framework for Co-operation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency. We are pleased that Iran has now agreed to co-operate with the Agency to resolve all present and past issues. It is important that Iran fully addresses the substance of the Agency's concerns over the possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme.
	This is a step in the right direction, and we hope Iran will implement and ratify modified Code 3.1 and the Additional Protocol.

Iran

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the approach taken by President Rouhani in the E3+3 talks.

Hugh Robertson: Since the election of President Rouhani Iran has taken a more positive approach to E3+3 negotiations. Foreign Minister Zarif has taken a tough but constructive stance. Significant progress was made in talks between Iran and the E3+3 in Geneva on 7 to 9 November. While an agreement has not yet been reached, detailed and complex discussions were held covering every aspect of Iran's nuclear programme. The E3+3 have put to Iran a proposal for a first step that would create the confidence and space to negotiate a comprehensive and final settlement. We believe that agreement on that first step is within reach, with the next round of E3+3 talks starting on 20 November.

Iraq: Iran

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Iranian and Iraqi authorities about the welfare of the residents of Camp Liberty.

Hugh Robertson: The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) raised the welfare of residents at Camp Liberty with the Iraqi Foreign Minister following the 1 September 2013 attack on Camp Ashraf, and our officials raised the situation at Camp Liberty with the Iraqi ambassador in London.

Maldives

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Commonwealth about the attendance of President Waheed of the Maldives at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in November 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Hugo Swire: As I said during the Westminster Hall Adjournment debate on Maldives on 5 November, we believe that building, supporting and strengthening democratic rights, freedoms and institutions are values fundamental to the Commonwealth. Our concern at the delays to the Maldives’ presidential elections raised the question of whether it was appropriate for the Maldives to be represented at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Colombo. I raised these concerns directly with the Commonwealth Secretary-General.
	The Maldives were represented at CHOGM in Sri Lanka between 15 to 17 November by their local diplomatic presence in Colombo.

Malta

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further information he has concerning the status of Jovica Kolakovic, a UK citizen detained in Malta for more than four years without charge or trial; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: Mr Kolakovic was arrested on 9 September 2009 and remanded in custody until 2 May 2012, when he was released on bail, the conditions of which limit him to travel within Malta.
	Consular staff in the UK and in Malta have provided consular assistance to Mr Kolakovic, addressing welfare and medical issues while he was detained. The British high commissioner in Malta raised our concerns about the length of pre-trial detention in 2011 and early 2012. Mr Kolakovic was released on bail on 2 May 2012. The British Government cannot interfere in the judicial process in Malta in the same way we expect foreign governments to respect the judicial process in the UK. It remains for Mr Kolakovic, with the assistance of his lawyer in Malta, to pursue his case through the appropriate legal channels, as he is currently doing. There will be a further hearing on 3 December 2013.

Niger

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the EU's capacity-building mission in Niger.

Mark Simmonds: EUCAP Sahel-Niger remains an important tool in tackling the security challenges in Niger and across the wider North and West Africa region, as part of the EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel.
	EUCAP has now started to deliver across many of its priority areas, including the development of forensic policing, capacity-building of joint command centres, and building links with the burgeoning Sahel Security College. The UK has a key role to play in supporting EUCAP to ensure it is successful.

Nigeria

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent terrorist attacks in Borno State, Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: Recent attacks in Borno State by Boko Haram include an attack on a wedding party on 2 November and a group of motorists on 20 October. Many of the latest attacks by Boko Haram have been directed at civilian targets.
	We remain deeply concerned by attacks carried out by violent extremists. These attacks in northern and north-eastern Nigeria have caused suffering in communities of all faiths and ethnicities. We will continue to support the Nigerian authorities in their fight against terrorism and to help bring those responsible to justice.

Nigeria

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the capability of Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan within Nigeria and the region.

Mark Simmonds: Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru) attacks have targeted Nigerian security forces and westerners. We believe that they are responsible for the capture and killing of nine hostages, including two British nationals, Christopher McManus in 2012 and Brendan Vaughan in 2013, and that they are currently holding captive one French national.
	We assess that Ansaru will continue to target Nigerian security forces and Westerners within Nigeria. Although Ansaru state they aim to create an Islamic caliphate from Niger to Cameroon, including northern Nigeria, we are unaware of any attacks by Ansaru outside of Nigeria. However we will continue to closely monitor their activities within Nigeria and the region.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), proscribed Ansaru in November 2012.

Offences Against Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many notifications of alleged sex offences against children by UK nationals abroad have been received by his Department in each of the last five years, broken down by country.

Mark Simmonds: In 2009-10 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) was notified of 51 cases of arrest and detention of UK Nationals abroad for child sex offences. 15 of those were from the USA, six from Thailand and fewer than five cases each from Mexico, Peru, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Nepal, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Spain.
	In 2010-11 the FCO was notified of 80 cases, 23 in the USA, nine in Spain, six in Canada and fewer than five cases each in Japan, Colombia, Barbados, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Nepal, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Botswana and Gambia.
	In 2011-12 the FCO was notified of 65 cases, 17 in the USA, eight in Australia, 12 in Spain and fewer than five each in Japan, Ukraine, Belize, Canada, Curacao, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, Cyprus, Romania and Malta.
	In 2012-13 the FCO was notified of 71 cases, seven in Canada, 27 in USA, eight in Spain and fewer than five each in Belize, Mexico, Morocco, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St Lucia, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Bangladesh, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand, Bulgaria and Cyprus.
	This year so far there have been 31 notifications. 13 are in the USA and fewer than five each in Japan. Egypt, Morocco, Trinidad and Tobago, Belgium, France, Ireland, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand, Turkey, Spain and Kenya.

Pakistan

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the Pakistani Government on the Pakistani arrest warrant issued for Councillor Abdul Aziz.

Hugh Robertson: It is government policy that we do not routinely comment on arrest warrants issued by other governments. Therefore we are unable to confirm or deny if such a discussion has taken place.

Private Military and Security Companies

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long the test period will be for voluntary self-regulation of UK private security companies operating in complex environments on land overseas; and by what criteria his Department will judge whether such voluntary self-regulation is successful.

Mark Simmonds: The Government does not support self-regulation of private security companies working in complex environments overseas. We are developing a system that will raise the standards of private security companies working in complex environments globally through a twin-track approach: certification to standards by accredited certifying bodies at the national level; and at the international level membership of the ICoC Association, a global oversight mechanism governed jointly by governments, civil society organisations and industry, to monitor adherence to the principles and provisions of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Providers. We will assess on a continual basis the extent to which this approach helps us to raise standards and fulfil our commitments under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will not be able to provide this information without checking the personnel files of each of its staff. This cannot be done without incurring disproportionate cost.

Sexual Offences

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings his Department has held on the new international protocol on the investigation and documentation of sexual violence in conflict.

Mark Simmonds: The UK hosted a conference in Geneva on 6 September to discuss the international protocol and raised awareness of the challenges to documenting and investigating sexual violence in conflict with states, UN agencies, regional organisations and non-governmental organisations. We have also convened meetings of the expert working groups in May, June and July 2013. In addition to these formal meetings, we continue to engage informally with key experts on all aspects of the draft and participated in a high level expert meeting at the African Union Commission on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence in Conflict in October during which we discussed the protocol.

Sri Lanka

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received reports of media crews being denied permission by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence to travel to the northern districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaittivu or Vavuniya; and what recent representations he has made to his Sri Lankan counterpart on behalf of UK media crews wishing to travel within Sri Lanka.

Hugo Swire: We have been repeatedly very clear with the Sri Lankan Government about the need for unfettered access for media across Sri Lanka who have been accredited for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. We were seriously concerned to learn of the incident on 13 November 2013 when a Channel 4 crew was prevented from travelling to the north. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) raised this incident immediately, as well as the issue of media freedom more broadly, with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister on 13 November.

Sri Lanka

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any representations from (a) journalists or (b) media organisations about difficulties obtaining a visa to travel to Sri Lanka between August and December 2013; and what assistance his Department provides to journalists wishing to travel to Sri Lanka.

Hugo Swire: Media organisations and journalists had expressed concerns that once accredited by the Commonwealth Secretariat they would not be given visa access by the Sri Lankan authorities for the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting taking place in mid November. The British Government made very clear to the Sri Lankan Government the importance of access and freedom of movement for media covering CHOGM, something the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) raised with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister on 13 November. We will continue to make this clear. However, I am not aware of any accredited UK media organisations or journalists being denied entry to Sri Lanka for CHOGM.
	Separately, we received representations in September from an individual wishing to undertake private travel to Sri Lanka with her husband who is a journalist and being denied a visa. The issuing of visas remains a matter for the Sri Lankan authorities.

Sri Lanka

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2013, Official Report, column 449W, on Sri Lanka, what recent representations he or the Prime Minister has received in favour of the Prime Minister attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka; and if he will publish the names of those organisations which made representations in favour of attendance.

Hugo Swire: There are both supporters and detractors of our decision to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). In the run-up to CHOGM, Ministers and senior officials met with the full range of interested parties, including Commonwealth organisations, human rights NGOs, and diaspora groups. While we do not hold a comprehensive list of those in favour or those against, there have been many public and private statements made by individuals and organisations. As I said in my original reply we are attending CHOGM as we believe it is the right thing to do for the Commonwealth.

Syria

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on that country’s air strikes in Syria in May and October 2013.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has regular meetings and telephone calls with Israeli counterparts, and they routinely discuss Syria and other matters of concern.

UN Convention On Biological Diversity

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether when the Government signed the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 it did so on behalf of the UK Overseas Territories.

Mark Simmonds: The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was signed by the United Kingdom on 12 June 1992. The UK's instrument of ratification to the CBD was deposited on 3 June 1994, on behalf of the UK and the following UK Overseas Territories: British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Saint Helena, and Saint Helena Dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha). The UK's ratification of the CBD was effective in respect of the UK's and the Overseas Territories it applies to as from 1 September 1994.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings he has had with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since May 2010.

David Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have met twice since May 2010. They met in Geneva at the March session of the Human Rights Council in 2011, and during the High Commissioner's visit to London on 6 November 2013.

USA

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on whether any UK doctors or psychologists have worked in any US detention centres or offered assistance regarding the detention and interrogation of prisoners suspected of terrorism since 2001.

Mark Simmonds: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not gather or hold information on the numbers of UK Nationals working abroad. This includes doctors and psychologists who may have worked in US detention centres, or who may have worked for the US in other areas related to prisoners.

Zimbabwe

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of financial sanctions on members of the government of Zimbabwe and individuals associated with them.

Mark Simmonds: The EU restrictive measures have been an important tool in the EU's approach to promoting reform in Zimbabwe. The EU will be reviewing all restrictive measures on Zimbabwe in February 2014. Their future will be a decision for all member states, and not just the UK.
	As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), said in his statement on 22 August, while we commend the people of Zimbabwe on holding peaceful elections on 31 July, we have grave concerns over their conduct. The UK remains committed to promoting democratic reform in Zimbabwe and to supporting the Zimbabwean people's aspiration for a peaceful and democratic future.

CABINET OFFICE

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Francis Maude: For details on zero-hour contracts, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Vale of Clwyd (Chris Ruane) on 12 September 2013, Official Report, column 805W.
	In my Department, no direct employees are paid less than the living wage.
	In line with the practice of previous Administrations we do not require our contractors to pay the living wage. At present, there are 52 employees contracted to the Cabinet Office and 20 working for arm's length bodies paid less than the living wage.
	The Big Lottery Fund has 28 direct employees paid less than the living wage. The fund is keeping their pay under review.

Crime: Merseyside

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) victim-based crimes and (b) crimes against society were recorded by Merseyside police in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of (a) victim-based crimes and (b) crimes against society recorded by Merseyside police in each of the last five years. 175423
	The latest published police recorded crime figures are for the year ending June 2013 and these together with the four previous comparable periods are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Merseyside police force area July 2008 to June 2009 July 2009 to June 2010 July 2010 to June 2011 July 2011 to June 2012 July 2012 to June 2013 
			 Victim-based crime 90,715 79,228 76,924 73,266 74,379 
			 Other crimes against society 23,331 23,143 20,538 18,011 14,937 
		
	
	These data have been published by ONS and are available from the ‘Recorded crime data at police force area level from 2002/03' tables available here:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-324159

Employment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate he has made of the rate of employment amongst people with (a) an apprenticeship, (b) a degree, (c) a master's degree and (d) a PhD.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the rate of employment amongst people with (a) an apprenticeship, (b) a degree, (c) a master's degree and (d) a PhD.175320
	Estimates of employment are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the period April to June 2013, it was estimated that the employment rate for people aged 16 to 64 who had completed an apprenticeship was 83%. This includes everyone completing an apprenticeship regardless of any subsequent higher qualification.
	For those whose highest qualification was a first degree or equivalent it was 84% and for those with a higher degree (ie either a Masters degree or a PHD) or equivalent it was 87%. It is not possible to provide those with either a master's degree or PhD separately.

Employment: Veterans

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the rate of employment amongst those who previously served in the armed forces.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Peter Fullerton, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the rate of employment amongst those who previously served in the armed forces. 175321
	Estimates of employment are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Unfortunately an estimate of the employment rate for former armed forces personnel is not available from this source.
	Employment outcomes are available for UK Regular Service personnel who left the Armed Forces and used the services provided by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP). The CTP began in 1998 and is a contractual arrangement between the Ministry of Defence and a contractor for delivering a resettlement package to eligible Service personnel. These statistics are representative of the 11,300 people who went on to use the CTP resettlement services; approximately half of all service leavers in the period. The latest annual CTP publication, covering the financial year 2011/12, is provided in the following link:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/health/veterans/career-transition-partnership

Energy

John Woodcock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions the energy suppliers for contracts awarded by the Government Procurement Service has been switched in the last 12 months.

Nick Hurd: GPS aggregates demand across Government and negotiates directly with suppliers to secure the best energy price for Government. As was the case under the previous Government, energy is therefore procured in a different manner from domestic customers.

Government Departments: Charities

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much central Government Departments gave in grants to charities in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11, (d) 2011-12 and (e) 2012-13.

Nick Hurd: Information on central Government spend to the voluntary and charitable sector (including both grants and contracts) is available through Departmental Business Plan Quarterly Data Summaries at:
	http://data.gov.uk/data/openspending-report/index
	The National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) publishes data on the level of grant income received by UK charities from statutory sources (including local, central and international). Data is available up until 2010-11 as follows:
	
		
			  Statutory grants (£ billion) 
			 2010-11 3.0 
			 2009-10 3.0 
			 2008-09 2.9

ICT

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many mobile devices of each brand his Department has purchased in each of the last two years.

Nick Hurd: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 7 and 18 March 2013, Official Report, columns 1140-424W.

Infant Mortality

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the infant mortality rates in each of the last five years were; and what the most common causes of infant mortality were in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the infant mortality rates in each of the last five years were; and what the most common causes of infant mortality were in each of the last five years. [175818].
	Table 1 provides the rate of infant mortality in England and Wales, in each year from 2007 to 2011 (the latest year available).
	Table 2 provides the number of infant deaths which occurred in England and Wales, by ONS neonatal cause of death group, in each year from 2007 to 2011 (the latest year available). The most common causes of infant mortality were immaturity related conditions and congenital anomalies.
	Figures for perinatal, infant and childhood mortality in England and Wales are published annually on the ONS website:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/child-mortality-statistics--childhood--infant-and-perinatal/2011/index.html
	Figures for 2012 will be available in the first quarter of 2014
	
		
			 Table 1: Infant mortality rates in England and Wales, deaths occurring in each year from 2007 to 2011(1) 
			  Rates per 1,000 live births 
			  Infant mortality rate 
			 2007 4.7 
			 2008 4.6 
			 2009 4.5 
			 2010 4.3 
			 2011 4.2 
			 (1 )Figures reported are for deaths occurring in each calendar year. Figures for some causes, such as external causes, may be an underestimate. For further details please see the report Impact of Registration Delays on Mortality Statistics, available on the ONS website: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/health-and-life-events/impact-of-registration-delays-on-mortality-statistics/index.html Source: Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of infant deaths in England and Wales by ONS cause group, deaths occurring in each year from 2007 to 2011(1, 2, 3) 
			 Deaths 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Congenital anomalies 992 971 997 967 926 
			 Antepartnum infections 73 103 76 60 54 
			 Immaturity related conditions 1,443 1,465 1,426 1,354 1,397 
			 Asphyxia, anoxia or trauma (intrapartnum) 236 209 211 208 198 
			 External conditions 52 58 34 47 54 
			 Infections 128 133 123 109 118 
			 Other specific conditions 44 37 35 34 32 
			 Sudden infant deaths 159 155 154 138 137 
			 Other conditions 137 153 135 159 109 
			 All causes 3,264 3,284 3,191 3,076 3,025 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (2 )Figures reported are for deaths occurring in each calendar year. Figures for some causes, such as external causes, may be an underestimate. For further details please see the report Impact of Registration Delays on Mortality Statistics, available on the ONS website: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/health-and-life-events/impact-of-registration-delays-on-mortality-statistics/index.html (3 )Information about ONS cause groups is available on the ONS website: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/health-and-life-events/child-mortality-statistics-metadata.pdf Source: Office for National Statistics

Manufacturing Industries: West Midlands

Karen Lumley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what change in manufacturing output there has been in the West Midlands in each of the last four quarters.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what change in manufacturing output there has been in the West Midlands in each of the last four quarters. 175328
	Estimates of economic activity by region are only available on an annual basis rather than quarterly. The most recent published annual estimates cover the year 2010. Data for 2011 will be published on 11 December 2013. Unfortunately, therefore, ONS is unable to provide the requested data.

Military Decorations

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to receive the report of Sir John Holmes’ independent review of military medal arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: Sir John Holmes is continuing his work on military medals. The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (‘HD Committee’) will meet early in the new year to discuss his further recommendations.

Ministerial Policy Advisors

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 309W, on ministerial policy advisers, whether the departmental organogram available at http://data.gov.uk/organogram/cabinet-office is published in (a) alternative file formats and (b) printable file formats.

Francis Maude: The data underlying the organogram visualisation is published in CSV format on departmental websites and on data.gov.uk. These can be printed. These files are searchable on data.gov.uk for each Department.

Patients: Death

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of deaths in English hospitals caused by (a) malnutrition, (b) dehydration and (c) pressure sores in each of the last five years for which data are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what estimate has been made of the number of deaths in English hospitals caused by (a) malnutrition, (b) dehydration and (c) pressure sores in each of the last five years. (175573)
	Table 1 provides the number of deaths in hospitals where the underlying cause was (a) malnutrition, (b) dehydration (volume depletion or lack of water) or (c) pressure sores (decubitus ulcers) for hospitals in England between 2008 and 2012 (the latest year available).
	Table 2 provides the number of deaths in hospitals where (a) malnutrition or effects of hunger, (b) dehydration (volume depletion or lack of water) or effects of thirst or (c) pressure sores (decubitus ulcers) were mentioned on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor, for hospitals in England between 2008 and 2012 (the latest year available). Where an individual had more than one of the conditions mentioned above, they will be included in the table more than once.
	All of the data in Table 1 is included in Table 2, so figures should not be combined across the two tables to produce an overall number of deaths.
	Those who die with the conditions specified above are usually already very ill. For example, someone with malnutrition may have cancer of the digestive tract, which means they cannot eat properly or cannot absorb nutrients. In these cases, malnutrition, dehydration or pressure sore will be recorded on the death certificate as a condition that has contributed to the death, but it will not be the underlying cause. Therefore two sets of figures have been provided: the first showing deaths where one of these conditions was the underlying cause of death, and the second where the condition was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor.
	Moreover, internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires only those conditions that contributed directly to death to be recorded on the death certificate. Medical practitioners and coroners are not supposed to record all of the diseases or conditions present at or before death. Whether a condition contributed is a matter for their clinical judgement.
	The figures provided show the number of deaths that occurred in English hospitals. They do not show how or where the specified condition was acquired.
	The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age, cause and place of death are published annually and are available here:
	www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-27475
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of deaths in hospitals where the specified condition was the underlying cause of death, England 2008-2012(1,2,3,4) 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Dehydration 149 123 141 99 92 
			 Malnutrition 36 51 45 42 51 
			 Pressure sores/ulcers 137 140 146 76 56 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes: malnutrition E40-E46; dehydration E86 (volume depletion) and X54 (lack of water); pressure sores L89 (decubitus ulcer). Deaths were included where the specified condition was the underlying cause of death. All of the data in Table 1 is included in Table 2, so you cannot combine the figures to produce an overall number of deaths. (2) ‘Hospital’ includes NHS hospitals (excluding psychiatric hospitals) or multifunction sites, and military and other non-NHS hospitals. (3) Boundaries correct as at August 2013. Figures exclude deaths of non-residents. (4 )Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of deaths in hospitals where the specified condition was mentioned on the death certificate, England 2008-2012(1,2,3,4) 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Dehydration 879 764 757 613 569 
			 Malnutrition 253 258 271 262 284 
			 Pressure sores/ulcers 582 602 620 515 462 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes: malnutrition E40-E46 and T73.0 (effects of hunger); dehydration E86 (volume depletion), X54 (lack of water) and T73.1 (effects of thirst); pressure sores L89 (decubitus ulcer). Deaths were included where the specified cause was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor. All of the data in Table 1 is included in Table 2, so you cannot combine the figures to produce an overall number of deaths. (2) ‘Hospital’ includes NHS hospitals (excluding psychiatric hospitals) or multifunction sites, and military and other non-NHS hospitals. (3 )Boundaries correct as at August 2013. Figures exclude deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Pay

Michael Meacher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 643W, on pay, when the UK Statistics Authority expects to supply the information requested in the original question.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 643W on pay, when the UK Statistic Authority expects to supply the information requested in the original question. (175665)
	Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. ASHE data can be used to estimate average levels of basic pay, but suitable data are not available from which to estimate average levels of bonuses, share incentive scheme payouts, stock options or other remuneration. It is also not possible to provide estimates for the highest-earning 0.1 per cent of employees. This is because it is not possible to produce quality measures corresponding to these estimates via the ASHE ad hoc analysis system.
	The following table shows estimates of the median and mean basic weekly pay for the highest-earning 1 per cent of employee jobs in the UK, for each year from 2008 to 2012.
	
		
			 Median and mean basic weekly pay for the highest-earning 1% of employee jobs, 2008-12 
			 £ 
			  Median Mean 1% earned more than 
			 2008(1) 2,277.8 2,673.2 1,859.2 
			 2009(1) 2,325.9 2,671.4 1,906.9 
			 2010(1) 2,400.9 2,776.2 1,917.9 
			 2011(1) 2,491.4 2,848.3 1,972.5 
			 2011(2) 2,478.0 2,828.8 1,954.8 
			 2012(2) 2,395.6 2,786.4 1,916.7 
			 (1) Results based on Standard Occupation Classification 2000. (2) Results based on Standard Occupation Classification 2010. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office for National Statistics.

JUSTICE

Administration of Justice: Isle of Wight

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many low-level cases he expects to be transferred from the Isle of Wight to the mainland in the next 12 months for which figures are available; and what assessment he has made of the likely level of transfer of such cases between criminal justice areas nationally.

Shailesh Vara: It is estimated that 520 road traffic cases per year that previously may have proceeded on the Isle of Wight will now be initially dealt with in Aldershot, at the dedicated traffic court for the criminal justice area of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
	It is estimated that 400 DVLA cases per year that previously may have proceeded on the Isle of Wight will now take place in Southampton magistrates court, the dedicated court for vehicle excise evasion for the criminal justice area of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
	It is estimated that 160 TV licensing cases per year that previously may have proceeded on the Isle of Wight will now commence at Fareham magistrates court, the dedicated court for TV licence evasion for the criminal justice area of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
	The judiciary, in conjunction with HMCTS and criminal justice partners, routinely review local listing arrangements, taking into account changes in workloads and to ensure the best use of our resources.
	This follows an announcement on 17 May 2013 that every police force area should have a dedicated 'traffic court' to deal with low-level road traffic offences, where defendants are not required to appear in person, enabling magistrates to better organise their work and drive efficiency. The small minority of contested cases, for which defendants should attend, continue to be heard at local courts.
	Nationally, we expect cases to be clustered within each criminal justice area, which (but for the city of London police) align with police force areas. We do not anticipate cases to be transferred between police force areas as a result of this policy.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm’s lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Shailesh Vara: No direct employees of the Ministry of Justice headquarters, HM Courts and Tribunal Service, the Office of the Public Guardian and the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.
	All employees of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) working in London are paid above the London living wage.
	As of August 2013, NOMS employs around 200 members of staff who earn below the national living wage. This is less than half of one percent of NOMS staff. By 2016-17, virtually all those staff will be paid over the living wage.
	There are a total of seven staff in all the Ministry's arm’s length bodies who earn less than the living wage.
	At 30 September 2013, the Ministry employed 120 staff on zero hours contracts. That is less than 0.2 per cent of the total workforce of the Ministry and its agencies.
	None of the Ministry's arm’s length bodies employs staff on zero hours contracts.
	Where work is irregular, such as in certain courts, zero hours contracts allow the Ministry to provide the taxpayer with value for money while meeting operational demands efficiently. Staff on zero hours contracts are recruited on standard civil service terms and conditions and the contracts do not have exclusivity clauses. The staff are paid for the hours that they work.

Domestic Violence: Reoffenders

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of men convicted of domestic violence-related offences are assessed as being at (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high risk of reoffending.

Jeremy Wright: An estimate of the likelihood of any proven reoffending can be made using the Offender Group Reconviction Score (OGRS3) for offenders who have been assessed under the Offender Assessment System (OASys).
	At March 2013, the proportion of offenders with a positive response to the question 'physical violence towards partner in the current offence’ is shown below using their likelihood of reoffending at two years to group them into low, medium and high risk.
	56% are ‘low' risk of reoffending (OGRS3 score of 0% to 49%))
	32% are ‘medium' risk (OGRS3 of 50% to 74%)
	12% are 'high' risk (OGRS3 of 75% to 99%).
	The risk of reoffending is distinct from the risk of serious harm. These figures cannot be used to calculate the number of domestic violence offenders who would be managed by the new national probation service and the new community rehabilitation companies.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are based on a total of 19,449 offenders who meet the criteria in the prison and probation caseload of March 2013.
	2. OASys is not required for all offenders. OASys is used at pre-sentence report stage and then during many but not all custodial and non-custodial sentences. OASys is not required for offenders with a custodial sentence of under 12 months (except for 18 to 21-year-olds) and it is not required for lower-risk offenders receiving only unpaid work, curfew and/or attendance centre requirements as part of a community sentence. Additionally, offenders who are fined or discharged are very unlikely to receive an OASys assessment.
	3. The question ‘physical violence towards partner in the current offence' could exclude some cases where the offence is related to domestic violence, but does not involve physical violence towards a partner (e.g. criminal damage, breach of restraining order or harassment).
	4. The figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Family Courts: Harrow

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to move family court proceedings in Harrow from Brent Magistrates' Court to York House; and if he will make a statement.

Shailesh Vara: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals service has been reviewing capacity for family proceedings across London in readiness for the creation of the single Family Court next year. The Designated Family Centre for west London will be at Hatton Cross Hearing Centre, Feltham (which includes York House).
	In the new Family Court, all family proceedings from west London boroughs, including Harrow, will be issued at Hatton Cross. It will be for judges to determine where proceedings are heard, but my expectation is that most cases originating in London borough of Harrow will be heard at what is currently Barnet county court in Finchley.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that objective 5 contained in the Annual Reports of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service 2012-13, to reduce the number of cases coming before courts and tribunals, is appropriately balanced against the other objectives of that body.

Shailesh Vara: The objectives of HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), which have been agreed between the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals, are set out in the Framework Document which underpins it. They support the overall aim of HMCTS which is to run an efficient and effective courts and tribunals system, which enables the rule of law to be upheld and provides access to justice for all. Working with other Government Departments and agencies to improve the quality of decision making in order to reduce the number of cases coming before the courts and tribunals contributes to the overall aim by ensuring that those cases that come before a court or tribunal are those which actually require judicial intervention. The HMCTS business plan for 2013-14 provides details of the business priorities for the current year all of which support the organisation's objectives. It can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/corporate-reports/hmcts/2012/hmcts-business-plan12-13.pdf
	There are a number of initiatives underway to improve the quality of initial decision making in other Government Departments and agencies. A current example is the work being taken forward with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in relation to benefit entitlement claims. A revised decision notice was introduced in the First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) in July 2012 to provide feedback on reasons for overturned DWP decisions. Building on this, we are in the process of a phased introduction of a summary paragraph of reasons in all cases.

Intestacy

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to abolish the time restraints on a family provision claim in the circumstances of an intestacy death.

Shailesh Vara: Applications for orders for family provision under section 2 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 can be made during the period of six months from the date on which the grant of representation with respect to the deceased's estate is first taken out. Earlier applications are not permitted. Late applications can be made with the permission of the court.
	The Government has no plans to change the law relating to the latest date at which an application can be made, but has introduced the Inheritance and Trustees' Powers Bill, which will, if enacted in its present form, permit applications to be made before the grant of representation is taken out. The Bill will implement recommendations of the Law Commission.

Legal Aid Scheme

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to assess the effect of the Government's proposed changes to legal aid on access to court proceedings for low income parents in child access and custody proceedings; and if he will make a statement.

Shailesh Vara: The proposals consulted on in Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system are aimed at reducing the cost of and ensuring public confidence in the legal aid scheme. As part of our consultation response we have updated our assessment of the impacts of the proposals. This can be found at
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/transforming-legal-aid-next-steps/consult_view
	The Government will be undertaking a post-implementation review of the legal aid provisions within the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) in 3-5 years time, which will also include a review of the civil legal aid proposals that are taken forward as part of Transforming Legal Aid.

Magistrates Courts: Wales

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Swansea Magistrates' Court is able to absorb the transferred case load from the proposed closure of the Neath Port Talbot Magistrates' Court; and if he will make a statement.

Shailesh Vara: The consultation paper the future of Neath Magistrates Court was published on 26 September 2013 and closed on 7 November 2013. The consultation paper stated
	‘Analysis of utilisation of both Neath and Swansea Magistrates Courts workload has demonstrated that, should a decision be taken to relocate Neath to Swansea, the resulting utilisation would still only be 77%.’
	A response to the future of Neath magistrates court consultation is due to be published in due course.

Magistrates Courts: Wales

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed closure of the Neath Port Talbot Magistrates' Court on the ability of those in remote valley communities to travel to court hearings.

Shailesh Vara: The consultation paper the future of Neath Magistrates Court was published on 26 September 2013 with an Impact Assessment. Following consideration of the responses, an updated Impact Assessment will be published alongside the response to the consultation.

Magistrates Courts: Wales

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions (a) he and (b) HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) have had with local individuals and organisations on the proposed closure of the Neath Port Talbot Magistrates Court prior to the publication of the HMCTS impact assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Shailesh Vara: The proposals on the future of Neath magistrates court were published as part of a public consultation on 26 September 2013 in order to seek views of all interested parties, including local individuals and organisations.
	I came into post subsequent to publication of the consultation paper so have not had the opportunity to discuss with local individuals or organisations.
	HM Courts and Tribunals Service regularly meets a range of stakeholders as part of its commitment to provide an effective and efficient service to court and tribunal users.

Magistrates Courts: Wales

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will extend the public consultation on the future of Neath Port Talbot Magistrates' Court in order to consult upon specific proposals to (a) re-open the Port Talbot Magistrates' Court, (b) use the County Court at Neath, (c) adapt the Port Talbot Police Station and (d) adapt the Neath police station or Crown Building in Windsor Road in Neath; and for what reasons those proposals were not considered in the initial consultation.

Shailesh Vara: The consultation paper the future of Neath magistrates court was published on 26 September 2013.
	All responses including those with alternative proposals will be assessed in order to inform any decisions and the response to consultation.

Magistrates Courts: Wales

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that the proposed newly-merged Swansea magistrates' court will address the specific needs of people in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot taking account of remoteness, low incomes and digital exclusion.

Shailesh Vara: The consultation paper the future of Neath magistrates court was published on 26 September 2013 with an impact assessment. Following consideration of the responses, an updated impact assessment will be published alongside the response to the consultation.

Magistrates Courts: Wales

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons he is proposing to close Neath Port Talbot Magistrates' Court.

Shailesh Vara: The consultation paper “Proposals on the future of Neath Magistrates Court” was published on 26 September 2013. The purpose of the consultation was to consider proposals to move work from Neath magistrates court to Swansea magistrates court. This forms part of the commitment by H M Court and Tribunals Service to review the estate to ensure it meets operational requirements and delivers best value for the taxpayer.
	The consultation paper closed on 7 November 2013.

Members: Correspondence

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the average time it takes his Department to reply to letters from hon. Members.

Shailesh Vara: The Ministry of Justice does not record the average time taken to reply to letters from hon. Members. However, the Ministry does measure performance against the target of responding to 90% of their correspondence within 15 working days.
	From January to September this year, the Ministry of Justice (and its agencies) has increased the overall proportion of responses that are in time from the same period last year: up from 69% in 2012 to 83% in 2013 (exceeding the target of 90% in May, June and July). This improvement is set against an increase in volumes so far in 2013.

National Offender Management Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much was spent on with-cause breathalyser testing of National Offender Management Service staff in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13;
	(2)  how many individual with-cause breathalyser tests of National Offender Management Service staff took place in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13;
	(3)  how many times National Offender Management Service staff refused with-cause breathalyser testing in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13;
	(4)  how many times National Offender Management Service (NOMS) staff have been required to leave their place of work because (a) the breath alcohol level of the member of staff has breached the alcohol standard or (b) a member of staff has refused to participate in a breath test and concern remains about whether or not they are fit for duty as set out in the NOMS staff alcohol policy in each of the last three financial years;
	(5)  how many times National Offender Management Service staff have faced disciplinary investigation or action following a positive breathalyser test, or with-cause, or where a member of staff has refused a test in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Jeremy Wright: Table 1 shows the cost of with cause breathalyser testing of National Offender Management Service staff in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.
	
		
			 Table 1 
			  Management fee (£) Call-out charges (£) 
			 2010-11 33,862.00 1,113.87 
			 2011-12 25,200.00 2,516.00 
			 2012-13 26,250.00 925.00 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the number of individual with cause breathalyser tests of National Offender Management Service staff that took place in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.
	
		
			 Table 2 
			  Number of call outs 
			 2010-11 30 
			 2011-12 11 
			 2012-13 5 
		
	
	The National Offender Management Service does not record information centrally to indicate whether any member of staff has refused a breathalyser test and therefore the supplier was not called upon. There is no evidence that any members of staff' refused to undergo breathalyser testing after the collection officer had been called out.
	The National Offender Management Service does not record information centrally of staff that have been required to leave their place of work because (a) the breath alcohol level of the member of staff has breached the alcohol standard or (b) a member of staff has refused to participate in a breath test and concern remains about whether or not they are fit for duty as set out in the NOMS staff alcohol policy. However, Table 3 shows the number of positive breathalyser test in each of the last three financial years. Staff who provide a positive breathalyser test will be subject locally to the NOMS staff alcohol policy and the NOMS conduct and discipline policy.
	
		
			 Table 3 
			  Number of positive tests 
			 2010-11 7 
			 2011-12 2 
			 2012-13 1 
		
	
	Although the National Offender Management Service holds high level information centrally on staff who have been subject to disciplinary procedures, it is not possible to extract detailed information for disciplinary action taken as a result of a positive breathalyser test or where a member of staff has refused a test.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in prison must undertake a (a) domestic violence offender behaviour programme, (b) general offending behaviour programme, (c) sex offender behaviour programme, (d) substance misuse behaviour programme and (e) violence offender programme before they are eligible for release.

Jeremy Wright: Under legislation introduced under the previous government, offenders serving a standard determinate custodial sentence will be automatically released at the specified time in their sentence, usually the halfway point. In all other cases, it is for the independent Parole Board to determine whether to direct the release of offenders whose cases are brought before them. The Lord Chancellor has made clear his desire to change the law so that fewer prisoners are released automatically and more prisoners have to earn their release.
	All offenders liable to release by the Parole Board will have a sentence plan, and in many cases, it will be determined that an accredited offending behaviour programme is necessary for them to address their offending. However, a programme in itself is not a requirement for release. The Parole Board will consider not only whether the offender has completed relevant targets on his or her sentence plan, but also the offender's behaviour while in custody, as well as risk assessments and the release management plan. The Board will direct the release of such prisoners only if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary on the grounds of public protection for them to be detained in custody.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish the risk register associated with his Department's consultation on transforming rehabilitation.

Jeremy Wright: The Department is overseeing the reforms carefully to make sure that we implement them to the highest standards.
	There are no plans to publish the programme's risk register.
	It is good Government practice to challenge proposals robustly internally and we need to maintain the space to do that, and is the approach also taken by previous Governments.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offender behaviour programmes operational in English prisons are run by (a) public and (b) private sector organisations.

Jeremy Wright: Accredited offending behaviour programmes run in public sector-operated prisons are generally run by public sector staff, an exception being the “Challenge to Change” programme operated by the Kainos Community. Prisons operated by the private sector either deliver accredited programmes using their own staff or can use sub-contracting arrangements.
	In the period from 1 April to 31 October 2013, public sector prisons in England were commissioned to deliver 6,564 completions of accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, and privately-managed prisons were commissioned to deliver 817 such completions.
	Interventions are commissioned on a local basis in order to meet the needs of a prison's population and are therefore subject to change. The information provided has been drawn from an administrative data system, and although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system.

Prison Accommodation

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions police cells have been used to house offenders owing to shortage of available prison places since 4 September 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: Prison numbers fluctuate throughout the year and we have sufficient accommodation for the current and expected population. We will always have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts.
	Police cells, under Operation Safeguard, have not been used since 22 September 2008 and no police cells under Operation Safeguard have been on stand by since the end of October 2008.

Prisoners

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of the prison population is serving a prison sentence of (a) one year or more and (b) two years or more.

Jeremy Wright: As at 31 March 2013, 89% of sentenced prisoners (excluding recallees) were serving a sentence of 12 months or more; 79% of sentenced prisoners (excluding recallees) were serving a sentence of two years or more.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the current prison population is; what the average level of the prison population was in each of the previous five years; and what the total capacity of the prison estate was in each such year.

Jeremy Wright: On 8 November 2013, the total prison population was 85,337.
	The table provides the average prison population and average useable operational capacity of the prison estate in each of the previous five years, up to and including 2013. The figures provided in the table include all male and female public and privately operated prisons, young offender institutions and National Offender Management Service operated immigration removal centres.
	The useable operational capacity of the estate is the total of each establishment's operational capacity minus an operating margin of 2,000 places. This reflects the constraints imposed by the need to provide separate accommodation for different classes of prisoner; i.e. by sex, age, security category, conviction status, cell sharing risk assessment and also due to geographical distribution.
	Prison numbers fluctuate throughout the year and we have sufficient accommodation for the current and expected population. We will always have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts. There will be more adult male prison capacity in May 2015 than there was at the start of this Parliament.
	
		
			 Average prison population and useable operational capacity from 2009 to 8 November 2013 
			  Average Prison Population Average Useable Operational Capacity 
			 2009 83,455 85,130 
			 2010 84,716 87,444 
			 2011 85,971 88,390 
			 2012 86,737 90,238 
			 2013(1) 84,215 88,035 
			 (1) Up to and including 8 November 2013. 
		
	
	Prison population and capacity information is published weekly on the Government's website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-population-figures
	These figures are drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign nationals there are in UK prisons; and how many are nationals of countries with compulsory prisoner transfer agreements with the UK.

Jeremy Wright: Reducing the foreign nationals offender (FNO) population is a top priority for this Government. We are working hard to reduce the flow of FNOs into our prison system and increase the number of FNOs removed from the UK through Prisoner Transfer Agreements (PTAs); the early removal scheme (ERS) and tariff expired removal scheme (TERS). The number of FNOs deported under the early removal scheme (ERS) has increased in recent years.
	There were 10,760 foreign nationals in Prison in England and Wales on the 30 September 2013. 2,850 of these are from countries with whom we have compulsory prisoner transfer arrangements.
	Prisoners can be considered for transfer if they have received a sentence of imprisonment, meet the deportation criteria and will have at least six months left to serve on their sentence on the date of transfer.
	15 member states have now implemented the EU Prisoner Transfer Arrangement and we are starting to see progress in the transfer of prisoners.

Prisoners: Sexual Offences

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that all prisoners convicted of sexual offences receive treatment for their offending behaviour while serving their prison sentence.

Jeremy Wright: All prisoners can access support and help to reduce their likelihood of further offending and to support resettlement once released. In addition sex offenders who are assessed as being of a higher risk have a number of specific sex offender treatment programmes they should undertake.
	The Offender Rehabilitation Bill will extend statutory supervision and rehabilitation in the community to all offenders released from prison. This represents the biggest change to sentencing in a decade. We are also putting in place a nationwide “through the prison gate” resettlement service which will mean most offenders will be given continuous support from custody into the community. In addition most offenders are held in a prison designated to their home area for at least three months before release.

Prisons

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to (a) build new prisons and (b) expand existing prisons; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each project.

Jeremy Wright: We will ensure that there are always enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts but at much lower cost and in the right places to deliver our ambition of reducing reoffending.
	Subject to planning permission, construction of a new £250 million prison in Wrexham will begin in summer 2014. The 2,100 place establishment is expected to be fully operational by 2017.
	New house blocks, are being constructed at Parc, Peterborough, Thameside and The Mount prisons. These will provide an additional 1,260 new places at an estimated construction cost of £150 million.
	We are currently considering the feasibility of replacing the existing Feltham Young Offender Institution with a large new adult prison and a discrete new youth facility. The costs are not yet known.

Prisons

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he has made on his policy of closing old and costly prisons and replacing them with modern low-cost prisons.

Jeremy Wright: As part of a programme to modernise the estate, this Government has opened 5,455 new prison places since 2010. This includes the opening of three new prisons at Isis and Thameside (south west London) and Oakwood (Staffordshire).
	We are also building four new houseblocks (or mini-prisons) that will hold 1,260 prisoners at four existing establishments by 2015. Additionally, subject to planning, the former Firestone site in Wrexham has been chosen as the location for a new prison which will deliver 2,100 places in 2017. We are examining the feasibility of replacing Feltham young offender institution with a large new adult prison and a new, specialist youth facility.
	These new places have allowed us to close 20 prisons and parts of prisons and to convert two prisons into immigration removal centres. In total, we have now closed 6,418 places.
	These measures will ensure that there will be more adult male prison capacity in May 2015 than there was at the start of this Parliament in 2010.

Prisons: Closures

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for (a) HMP Askham Grange and (b) HMP East Sutton Park after all the prisoners have been moved from those prisons.

Jeremy Wright: Once a timing on the closure of the prisons has been decided, the MOJ will seek to engage with local councils about the sites. However no final decisions have yet been made.
	The Women's Custodial Estate Review, published on 25 October 2013 has determined that the two women's open prisons (Askham Grange and East Sutton Park) will close in due course once strategic hubs, employment regimes and improved resettlement opportunities are working effectively across the rest of the estate. The remaining women's prisons will also become resettlement prisons under the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms. This will help female offenders to serve their sentence as close to home as possible while getting access to rehabilitative services they need.

Prisons: Closures

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects the last prisoners to leave (a) HM Prison Askham Grange and (b) HM Prison East Sutton Park.

Jeremy Wright: The closure of HMP Askham Grange and HMP East Sutton Park will be taken forward once it has been demonstrated that the recommendations of the Women's Estate Review have been implemented successfully. This includes the establishment and effective operation of the strategic hubs and community employment regimes.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers have received hospital treatment following an assault at work in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service has a zero tolerance policy towards violence in prisons. NOMS is working with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that prisoners who assault prison staff are charged wherever possible and punished appropriately.
	NOMS is also currently reviewing the way in which violent incidents are managed in prisons to identify best practice across the prison estate and is planning to implement new policy and guidance in 2014 to help further reduce the number of assaults.
	Centralised recording of the type of treatment given for prison officer injuries following assaults only commenced in 2011 and complete information is only available from the start of 2012 to the end of June 2013.
	In 2012, there were 213 hospital attendances following reported assaults while there were 170 such attendances in the first two quarters of 2013.

Prisons: Procurement

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish records of (a) all contractors and (b) the value of such contracts entered into by each prison in the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: Prisons do not enter into contracts themselves as contracts are awarded centrally by the Department’s procurement directorate. All contracts and tenders awarded since 2010 over the value of £10,000 are published on the Contracts Finder website:
	https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk

Prisons: South Yorkshire

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the future operation of (a) HM Prison Hatfield, (b) HM Prison Moorland and (c) HM Prison Lindholme will be; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: We announced in July that Serco had been selected as the leading bidder in the ongoing competition to operate these South Yorkshire prisons. However, as the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), made clear at that time, we are auditing every MOJ contract held by Serco and G4S following issues that arose in relation to the Department's electronic monitoring contracts. These issues are now subject to a criminal investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.
	The Government will make a further statement when it is appropriate to do so.

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice following the introduction of his Transforming Rehabilitation reforms, if he will estimate the number of probation cases in each region that will be managed by (a) the National Probation Service and (b) community rehabilitation companies.

Jeremy Wright: The Government's published ‘Transforming Rehabilitation Strategy’ states that we currently estimate, on an annual basis, that community rehabilitation companies will manage 236,000 low and medium risk starts and that the new national probation service will manage 31,000 offender starts.
	In order to enable users to understand the approximate size, composition and reoffending rates of offender cohorts over time in each of the 21 new contract package areas the MoJ has published modelled data for the six years from 2005 to 2010 showing the number of offenders in each payment by results cohort and the one-year reoffending rates among those offenders. This information can be found at the following webpage:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/rehab-prog/competition/tr-prog-cpa-mi.xls

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the recent change to his Department's Transforming Rehabilitation Pre-Qualification Questionnaire deadline on the planned transition of 20,000 probation staff into separate companies by the end of January 2014.

Jeremy Wright: Due to the high level of interest following the launch of the competition to find the future owners of the 21 community rehabilitation companies who will deliver rehabilitation services in England and Wales, and the subsequent number of clarification questions asked by providers in preparing their responses, the Department has decided to give potential providers an additional 14 calendar days to finalise their responses.
	The Department remains on track to extend rehabilitation to more offenders, with current staff being transferred to either the new national probation service or a community rehabilitation company on 1 April 2014. The Transforming Rehabilitation competition will continue through 2014 with contracts being awarded and mobilised by 2015.

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he intends to publish the Rehabilitation Programme Strategic Risk Register.

Jeremy Wright: The Transforming Rehabilitation Programme adds up to a revolution in the way we are managing offenders. The Department is overseeing the reforms carefully to make sure that we implement them to the highest standards. There are no plans to publish the Programme's risk register. It is good Government practice to challenge proposals robustly internally and we need to maintain the space to do that. Previous Governments have adopted a similar approach.

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether private contractors who have been found by his Department or the Serious Fraud Office to have anomalies in their billing practices are permitted to tender to run the Community Rehabilitation Companies.

Jeremy Wright: The Justice Secretary announced in July that we are auditing every MoJ contract held by Serco and G4S following issues that arose in relation to the Department's electronic monitoring contracts. These issues are now subject to a criminal investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.
	The Government will make a further statement when it is appropriate to do so.

Probation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to increase the cost-effectiveness of probation authorities in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: Our Transforming Rehabilitation reforms will enable us to make considerable efficiency savings to probation services through the use of competition, the introduction of private and voluntary sector providers, and by sharing back-office functions within the public sector.
	Releasing these efficiency savings will enable us to invest in rehabilitation, particularly by extending supervision to short-sentenced prisoners, thereby reducing reoffending among those who are currently among our most prolific offenders.

Probation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of people in (a) Southend, (b) Essex and (c) England breached their probation order in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2006-07.

Jeremy Wright: The following table provides the proportion of people who breached a community order or suspended sentence order in Essex Probation Trust and England for 2012-13 and 2009-10. This has been calculated by inverting the Orders or Licences Successfully completed metric that is published as part of the NOMS annual report management information addendum, and removing those on licence to limit the data to on community orders and suspended sentence orders only. Data is not available for the financial year 2006-07. Data is also not available at the level required to provide this information for Southend and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Proportion of people on community orders and suspended sentence orders who were breached in Essex and England in 2009-10 and 2012-13 
			 Percentage 
			  2009-10 2012-13 
			 Essex 27.5 26.2 
			 England 29.4 27.2 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Probation: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of probation cases in (a) Southend and (b) Essex that will be managed by (i) the National Probation Service and (ii) community rehabilitation companies; what recent discussions (A) he, (B) Ministers in his Department and (C) officials in his Department have had with Essex Probation Service about this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: A projection of the numbers of cases to be allocated to the National Probation Service and each Community Rehabilitation Company will be released in due course as part of the competition process.
	My officials continue to have discussions with Essex Probation Trust as part of the process of transitioning staff and caseload into the new structure.

Qualifications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement.

Shailesh Vara: Information on the number of people employed by the Ministry of Justice who hold (a) an undergraduate, (b) a master's and (c) a PhD-level degree in computer science is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Civil Service Reform Plan, Capabilities Plan and the Ministry of Justice Capabilities Strategy and Plan all set the direction for the Department to focus on raising key professional skills including IT. The Ministry of Justice is promoting learning through the Civil Service Learning professional curriculum which is built on recognised standards. Significant work has been undertaken to ensure that all learning is aligned to the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) to ensure current and future business needs are attainable. The Ministry has also been actively engaged in working with 'e-Skills', the IT Sector Skills Council, in developing gold standard Higher Apprenticeships for the IT sector. These are aimed at attracting high attaining A-level students into the sector as an alternative to university promoting the 'learn as you earn' agenda.

Reoffenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many UK citizens sentenced abroad and returned to the UK to serve their sentence in a UK prison were released on (a) parole and (b) licence and subsequently reoffended and were (i) recalled to prison (A) in the UK and (B) abroad and (ii) were not recalled in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jeremy Wright: From l January 2007 to date, 493 British citizens have transferred from prisons abroad to prisons in the England and Wales in order to serve their sentences here.
	Following transfer they are subject to the same release and supervision arrangements applicable to any other British national sentenced to a term of imprisonment by a court of law in England and Wales. They are not monitored or tracked separately from other prisoners and therefore the requested statistics are not available.
	The transfer of prisoners into and out of Scotland, and into and out of Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the relevant Minister.

Richard III

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Government spent on legal costs as a defendant in the judicial review brought by the Queen on the application of the Plantagenet Alliance (a) up to 15 August 2013 and (b) since that time; and if he will set a limit to the amount of public money which the Government will spend on legal costs in this case.

Shailesh Vara: The Government's spend on legal costs up to 15 August was £15,850. By the end of September spend was £28,590. Figures for the spend since then are not yet collated.
	The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), is vigorously defending this judicial review. He is disappointed that permission was granted to the Plantagenet Alliance Limited to challenge the licence he granted to Leicester University to excavate human remains that turned out to be those of Richard III.
	The Government is currently consulting on a package of proposals which aim to tackle the problem of unmeritorious judicial reviews.

Richard III

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice where and in what state the remains of Richard III are currently kept.

Shailesh Vara: The University of Leicester applied to the Ministry of Justice last year for an exhumation licence for an archaeological dig at the Grey Friars car park in Leicester, where they believed it was possible that the remains of Richard III could be buried.
	That application was considered following due process and granted by the Ministry of Justice. It specifies that any remains discovered should either be deposited at Leicester's Jewry Wall Museum or reburied at St Martin's Cathedral in Leicester or any other suitable burial ground. It is usual archaeological practice to either exhibit discovered remains in a museum, or rebury them near to where they were originally buried.
	A condition of the licence is that until the remains are deposited or reinterred they shall be kept safely, privately and decently by the University of Leicester. I understand that the remains are being kept in secure laboratory conditions by the university and only accessed by the archaeological team.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average prison sentence was for either way offences handed down by (a) Crown courts and (b) magistrates' courts in each of the last three years.

Jeremy Wright: Tough sentences are available to the independent judiciary who decide the sentences for individual criminals based on the full facts of the case. The average custodial sentence length (in months) for offenders sentenced to immediate custody for triable either way offences, by court type, in England and Wales, from 2010 to 2012 (the latest available), can be viewed in the following table.
	Court proceedings for the calendar year 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.
	
		
			 Average custodial sentence length (in months) for offenders sentenced to immediate custody for triable either way offences, by court type, England and Wales, 2010 to 2012(1, 2) 
			 Court type 2010 2011 2012 
			 Crown court 20.2 20.1 20.3 
			 Magistrates courts 2.4 2.5 2.4 
			 (1 )The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Serco

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on bids from Serco for contracts with his Department.

Jeremy Wright: The Justice Secretary announced in July that we are auditing every MoJ contract held by Serco and G4S following issues that arose in relation to the Department's electronic monitoring contracts. These issues are now subject to a criminal investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.
	The Government will make a further statement when it is appropriate to do so.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length of waiting time is for a Tribunal Service hearing for those appealing benefits claims decisions.

Shailesh Vara: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits and credits.
	Information on the average waiting time for all benefit types is published by HMCTS in Tribunal Statistics Quarterly. The most recent report for the period April to June 2013, which includes the average waiting times for all benefit types can be viewed at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2013

Sovereignty: Scotland

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have had with their counterparts in the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Government's White Paper on Independence.

Shailesh Vara: Neither I nor my ministerial colleagues have had any meetings with counterparts in the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Government's White Paper on Independence.

Squatting

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people have been (a) arrested on suspicion of, (b) tried for and (c) convicted for the offence of squatting in a residential building under section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012;
	(2)  how many of the convictions for the offence of squatting in a residential building under section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 have resulted in (a) a custodial sentence and (b) a fine;
	(3)  what the average fine is handed down for the offence of squatting in a residential building under section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012;
	(4)  what the average length is of a custodial sentence handed down for the offence of squatting in a residential building under section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The offence of squatting in a residential building has been actively enforced since it was commenced on 1 September 2012. We do not hold data on the number of arrests but data for just the first four months shows 38 defendants had been proceeded against at magistrates courts for this offence by the end of December 2012. Over the same period, 32 offenders were found guilty of and sentenced for the offence. Of these offenders:
	14 were fined. The average fine was £113.79;
	10 were given a conditional discharge;
	Five were given a community sentence;
	One offender was sentenced to immediate custody of seven days;
	Two were otherwise dealt with.
	Criminal justice statistics for the calendar year 2013 are planned for publication in spring 2014.

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to develop offender behaviour programmes for stalkers either in the community or in custody.

Jeremy Wright: Stalking is a dreadful crime which can devastate victims' lives. That is why the Government recently strengthened the framework of criminal offences available to deal with stalking and harassment by amendments to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, made by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. We have put beyond doubt that stalking is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated, making it punishable by up to five years in prison.
	NOMS has made an evidence based decision to focus investment in offending behaviour programmes on groups of offenders who are most likely to reoffend, and/or who present the greatest risk. We have good evidence that targeting these groups through the delivery of structured interventions has a proven impact. We have developed specific offending behaviour programmes to target violent, sexual and general offending. Stalkers are a comparatively small group within the offending population and individuals convicted of stalking share a broad range of offending behaviours with other types of offender. Although we have not identified a need to develop a specific intervention for this group, their motivations, needs and the specific nature of their offending behaviour will in many cases make them suitable for participation in existing accredited offending behaviour programmes or for one-to-one work.
	NOMS Commissioners continually bear in mind the need to examine the needs of particular offender sub groups. If it becomes apparent that there is any discrete and significant subgroup of offenders with specific needs that are not met by existing provision, our commissioning strategy will change.

Stalking

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there are any plans to support advocacy within the court system for the victims of stalking.

Shailesh Vara: Stalking causes misery for victims and will not be tolerated. Since 2012 the Government has introduced new specific stalking offences and delivered training and guidance for police officers and prosecutors about the new legislation. The Government Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Girls makes an undertaking to continue to raise awareness of stalking to improve professionals' response. The Ministry of Justice is supporting the Home Office who lead on this work.

Young Offenders

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people under the age of 21 years are being held in each prison.

Jeremy Wright: As at 30 June 2013, there were 7,048 young people under the age of 21 held either on custodial remand or under sentence. This number includes all young people who are held in Young Offender Institutions (including 18-20 YOIs and under 18 YOIs), dual designated institutions for adults, and adult prisons. It does not include Secure Children's Homes and Secure Training Centres.
	The number held in each prison is presented in the following table:
	
		
			 Prisoners aged under 21 under sentence or on remand by establishment, 30 June 2013, England and Wales 
			 Establishment Predominant Function Total 
			 Altcourse Local 136 
			 Askham Grange Female 1 
			 Aylesbury YOI 290 
			 Belmarsh High Security 3 
			 Bedford Local 23 
			 Bristol Local 33 
			 Brinsford YOI 423 
			 Bronzefield Female 22 
			 Chelmsford Local 58 
			 Cardiff Local 45 
			 Cook ham Wood YJB 113 
			 Drake Hall Female 4 
			 Doncaster Local 247 
			 Dorchester Local 18 
			 Deerbolt YOI 376 
			 Downview Female 20 
			 East Sutton Park Female 2 
			 Eastwood Park Female 23 
			 Exeter Local 38 
			 Elmley (Sheppey cluster) Local 75 
			 Forest Bank Local 99 
			 Foston Hall Female 20 
			 Frankland High Security 1 
			 Feltham YOI 567 
			 Glen Parva YOI 553 
			 Hollesley Bay Open 13 
			 Moorland / Hatfield Cat C Trainer 152 
			 Hewell(1) Cluster 1 
			 Holme House Local 33 
			 Hindley YJB 174 
			 Hull Local 58 
			 High Down Local 105 
			 Holloway Female 25 
			 Isis(2) YOI 310 
			 Lancaster Farms YOI 457 
			 Lowdham Grange Cat B Trainer 3 
			 Lincoln Local 18 
			 Low Newton Female 8 
			 Littlehey Cat C Trainer 304 
			 Lewes Local 17 
		
	
	
		
			 Manchester High Security 5 
			 New Hall Female 30 
			 Nottingham Local 52 
			 Northallerton YOI 34 
			 Norwich Local 50 
			 Onley Cat C Trainer 1 
			 Peterborough(3) Local 40 
			 Portland YOI 250 
			 Preston Local 41 
			 Parc Local 186 
			 Rochester YOI 165 
			 Reading YOI 194 
			 Stoke Heath Cat C Trainer 73 
			 Swaleside (Sheppey cluster) Cat B Trainer 1 
			 Swinfen Hall Cat C Trainer 259 
			 Styal Female 22 
			 Swansea Local 39 
			 Thorn Cross Open 40 
			 Thameside Local 153 
			 Usk/Prescoed Cat C Trainer 2 
			 Wealstun Cat C Trainer 1 
			 Woodhill High Security 28 
			 Warren Hill YJB 112 
			 Werrington YJB 117' 
			 Wandsworth Local 1 
			 Wetherby YJB 223 
			 All  7,048 
			 (1) HMP Hewell was created by an amalgamation of the three former prisons, Blakenhurst, Brockhill and Hewell Grange on 25 June 2008; as of the 30 September 2011 the Brockhill site closed. (2) HMP and YOI Isis, which opened on 28 July 2010, is sited within the perimeter wall of HMP Belmarsh. (4) Peterborough is a dual purpose prison for men and women. Data Sources and Quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Young Offenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the reasons why young people enter the criminal justice system.

Jeremy Wright: Preventing young people from offending is a Government priority. Considerable progress has been made in recent years in reducing the number of first time entrants to the Criminal Justice System, including through the work of youth offending teams. The number of first time entrants fell from 60,303 in 2009-10 to 27,102 in 2012-13.
	Young people who enter the criminal justice system often exhibit a range of problems. For example research has highlighted factors such as family conflict, socialising with delinquent peers, illegal drug use and underage drinking, as well as low achievement at school, exclusion and truancy.
	The Ministry of Justice works closely with other Government Departments to prevent young people entering the system, including through the Troubled Families programme—which aims to turn around the lives of 120,000 of the country's most troubled families by 2015—and the cross-Government Ending Gangs and Youth Violence initiative, which is overseeing a range of initiatives to prevent young people being drawn into gangs and deter and help those who are already involved.

Young Offenders

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate she has made of the number of young people in young offenders' institutions and specialist children's homes; and if she will distinguish those who are jailed on human trafficking offences.

Jeremy Wright: The number of crimes committed by young people has fallen and there has been a significant reduction in the overall number of young people in custody in the last five years. For the small minority of young people for whom custody is the most appropriate option we are committed to improving their welfare, safety and chances of rehabilitation.
	The Monthly Youth Custody Report provides information on the number of children and young people under the age of 18 in secure children's homes, secure training centres and young offender institutions. This may be viewed here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/255967/youth-custody-report-september-2013.xls
	The Youth Justice Board (YJB) collects data on the offence for which young people in custody have been sentenced. Human trafficking was not recorded as a separate offence within the database used for data collection between 2008-09 and 2011-12. Any cases where the young person was in custody for human trafficking would be under the category “other” and cannot be extracted.
	A new database has been in use since 2012-13 for data collection. Implementation issues have resulted in incomplete offence data and therefore we cannot yet answer the question with regard to the number of young people in custody for human trafficking offences. We are working to improve data quality in the future.
	According to the latest data available, over the period 2008 to 2012, no children or young people aged 10 to 17 have been sentenced to custody for a human trafficking offence where human trafficking was the principal offence.

Young Offenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of young offenders came from (a) low, (b) middle and (c) higher income households in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jeremy Wright: Information on the household income of young offenders is not collected centrally.

Young Offenders: Employment

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to increase links between industry and young offender institutions for the purpose of increasing the skills and job prospects of young people.

Jeremy Wright: The Government believes that supporting young people to get a job is a key factor in reducing reoffending.

Young Offenders: Reoffenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reoffending rates are of children who have resided in (a) secure children's homes, (b) secure training centres and (c) young offender institutions.

Jeremy Wright: Reducing reoffending and better rehabilitation of young offenders are key priorities for the Government. Earlier this year we consulted on our vision to transform youth custody to place education at the heart of youth custody. In this way young offenders in custody can be equipped with the skills, qualifications and self-discipline they need to re-engage with education, training or employment on release and stop offending. We intend shortly to publish our response to the consultation setting out our plans for transforming youth custody.
	Statistics on proven reoffending for juvenile offenders are published by the Ministry of Justice on a quarterly basis in the ‘Proven Re-offending Statistics Quarterly Bulletin’ at the following link:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/proven-re-offending-quarterly-january-to-december-2011

Youth Custody

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his Department's response to the Transforming Youth Custody consultation.

Jeremy Wright: The Transforming Youth Custody Green Paper set out the Government's vision to place education at the heart of youth custody. We believe that young offenders need to be equipped with the skills, qualifications and self-discipline they need to engage in education, training or employment on release and rum their backs on offending.
	The consultation ran from 14 February to 30 April 2013. We have since been considering the responses we received to the consultation, and the Government's next steps in realising its ambition to transform youth custody. We will be responding to the consultation in due course.

Youth Justice Board

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration his Department has given to increasing the remit of the Youth Justice Board to extend to young people aged up to 21 years of age.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice considered whether the remit of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) should be extended to young people aged up to 24 years of age as part of Stage 1 of this year's Triennial Review of the YJB. This concluded that the YJB should remain focused on preventing offending and reoffending of children and young people under 18 within the justice system, monitoring that system and commissioning a distinct secure estate for young people. The Stage 1 report can be found at:
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/yjb-triennial-review-2012
	The Government recognises that the criminal justice system should be properly responsive to the needs of young adult offenders and we are improving support for young people who are transferring between the youth and adult justice systems. In September 2012, the YJB's Transitions Framework and NOMS Transitions Protocol were launched to promote better practice respectively for community and for custodial practitioners, and we are currently consulting on Transforming the Management of Young Adults in Custody.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time in accident and emergency was in each of the last four years.

Jane Ellison: There are three measures of waiting times in the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for accident and emergency (A&E). These are:
	time to assessment;
	time to treatment; and
	time to departure.
	The information requested is shown in the following tables. Information for 2012-13 is not yet available.
	
		
			 Mean and median duration to assessment(1) for attendances at A&E departments (all types), from April 2008 to March 2012,England 
			 Minutes 
			  Mean Median 
			 2008-09 60.8 7 
			 2009-10 76.8 9 
			 2010-11 64.5 10 
			 2011-12 33.1 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Mean and median duration to treatment(2) for attendances at A&E departments (all types, from April 2008 to March 2012, England 
			 Minutes 
			  Mean Median 
			 2008-09 115.6 55 
			 2009-10 102.0 55 
			 2010-11 98.4 58 
			 2011-12 75.4 52 
		
	
	
		
			 Mean and median duration to departure(3) for attendances at accident and emergency departments (all types), from April 2008 to March 2012, England 
			 Minutes 
			  Mean Median 
			 2008-09 136.2 117 
			 2009-10 134.7 122 
			 2010-11 145.7 130 
			 2011-12 138.2 125 
			 Notes: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. (1) Duration to assessment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients' arrival and their initial assessment in the A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is initially assessed. (2) Duration to treatment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients' arrival and the start of their treatment. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient began treatment. (3) Duration to departure: This is total amount of time spent in minutes in an A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is discharged from A&E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, dying in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged and referred to another specialist department. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Accident and Emergency Departments

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for patients attending accident and emergency departments was in (a) each region and (b) each constituent part of the UK in each of the last 12 months.

Jane Ellison: There are three measures of waiting times in the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre Hospital Episode Statistics for accident and emergency. These show time to assessment; time to treatment; and time to departure. The information requested is shown for the 10 strategic health authorities and for England for 2011-12 in the following tables. Information for 2012-13 is not yet available. Waiting times for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved Administrations.
	
		
			 Table 1: Mean and median duration to assessment(1) for accident and emergency departments (all types) in minutes by strategic health authority and month. England: April 2011 to March 2012 
			  North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England 
			 Period Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 April 2011 26.7 10 23.0 8 52.6 9 17.1 11 13.6 4 34.9 4 
			 May 2011 25.2 9 21.3 7 50.8 9 17.7 10 12.8 4 28.2 4 
			 June 2011 21.0 7 22.2 8 49.6 9 17.6 10 13.4 4 26.3 4 
			 July 2011 21.5 7 18.7 7 45.7 8 17.5 10 12.9 4 28.8 6 
			 August 2011 22.6 8 20.3 7 46.0 8 16.6 9 12.0 4 27.6 6 
			 September 2011 24.6 8 19.5 7 47.9 8 16.6 9 12.5 4 18.5 5 
			 October 2011 25.5 8 20.0 7 44.9 8 17.9 9 13.1 4 20.1 5 
			 November 2011 28.1 9 19.3 7 41.2 8 18.9 9 11.4 3 17.1 5 
			 December 2011 26.9 9 18.4 6 37.4 7 17.4 8 11.6 3 16.2 5 
			 January 2012 26.9 9 22.0 6 38.3 8 17.3 8 11.2 3 17.6 4 
			 February 2012 31.5 10 19.2 7 39.9 8 16.2 9 11.3 3 18.3 4 
			 March 2012 33.6 10 19.6 7 41.2 9 16.4 10 11.3 3 19.4 4 
		
	
	
		
			  London South East Coast South Central South West England 
			 Period Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 April 2011 52.1 13 43.1 16 75.8 11 57.8 9 39.3 9 
			 May 2011 74.2 13 37.9 15 62.1 10 68.0 9 42.5 9 
			 June 2011 44.1 12 34.2 14 41.1 9 66.4 9 34.5 9 
			 July 2011 45.9 12 33.2 13 43.8 9 68.8 9 34.5 8 
			 August 2011 41.6 10 30.9 12 47.1 8 67.9 8 33.8 8 
			 September 2011 35.5 11 33.1 13 46.2 9 67.2 8 32.0 8 
			 October 2011 33.6 11 31.1 12 48.9 9 57.8 8 30.8 8 
			 November 2011 31.5 12 28.7 12 52.2 8 52.4 7 29.2 8 
			 December 2011 30.2 11 27.6 12 55.8 11 54.3 8 28.4 8 
			 January 2012 30.7 12 26.1 11 56.3 11 56.1 8 29.3 8 
			 February 2012 32.8 13 27.6 12 59.7 11 61.1 10 30.5 9 
			 March 2012 32.6 13 29.7 12 64.0 13 63.2 11 31.6 9 
			 (1 )Duration to assessment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients’ arrival and their initial assessment in the accident and emergency (A&E) department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is initially assessed. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Mean and median duration to treatment(1) for accident and emergency departments (all types) in minutes by strategic health authority and month. England: April 2011 to March 2012 
			  North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England 
			 Period Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 April 2011 51.0 28 71.0 53 68.4 53 68.5 56 75.9 58 86.7 67 
			 May 2011 51.4 27 66.4 48 67.9 53 65.4 54 75.0 57 87.3 69 
			 June 2011 49.4 27 66.6 48 66.1 53 65.5 54 76.6 58 80.0 64 
			 July 2011 48.1 25 65.8 48 65.3 52 60.4 47 72.9 55 75.2 60 
			 August 2011 46.3 23 63.3 45 60.8 46 58.2 45 66.4 48 71.8 56 
			 September 2011 48.2 26 65.5 49 67.9 53 60.8 48 70.5 54 75.2 60 
			 October 2011 51.3 26 67.3 50 68.7 54 62.9 50 72.3 56 73.9 59 
			 November 2011 52.0 29 66.0 50 65.4 51 58.5 46 66.2 49 70.1 56 
			 December 2011 50.2 30 65.1 48 66.8 51 60.8 46 63.4 46 70.3 56 
			 January 2012 46.8 28 68.2 48 65.1 50 60.8 47 62.5 45 69.3 55 
			 February 2012 49.5 31 67.5 52 71.0 57 65.5 52 67.2 49 72.9 58 
			 March 2012 53.2 36 67.0 52 71.1 58 66.6 55 65.5 50 73.0 59 
		
	
	
		
			  London South East Coast South Central South West England 
			 Period Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 April 2011 96.0 70 81.9 64 75.4 49 94.2 46 79.3 56 
			 May 2011 92.8 68 80.1 63 75.7 48 102.8 46 78.4 55 
			 June 2011 92.4 68 76.2 58 74.2 46 101.8 46 77.1 54 
			 July 2011 91.0 62 72.6 56 70.9 43 102.7 46 75.3 51 
			 August 2011 84.2 54 69.0 51 69.8 38 99.6 41 71.3 46 
			 September 2011 89.0 64 72.5 56 75.4 46 97.8 43 74.5 52 
			 October 2011 91.0 66 71.8 54 79.8 47 97.9 44 76.0 53 
			 November 2011 84.3 63 71.0 54 78.6 45 95.6 41 72.7 51 
			 December 2011 84.1 60 70.0 52 88.1 45 102.2 41 73.4 49 
			 January 2012 83.3 62 69.2 51 80.3 43 101.2 43 72.6 49 
			 February 2012 89.6 67 71.1 52 86.1 48 105.1 46 76.5 54 
			 March 2012 88.1 68 73.9 57 87.8 50 108.0 50 76.9 55 
			 (1) Duration to treatment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients’ arrival and the start of their treatment. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient began treatment. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Mean and median duration to departure(1) for accident and emergency departments (all types) in minutes by strategic health authority and month. England: April 2011 to March 2012 
			  North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England 
			 Period Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 April 2011 106.0 86 139.4 125 134.2 123 135.4 126 130.9 116 143.5 138 
			 May 2011 105.7 85 135.6 119 132.3 121 134.4 124 129.2 114 142.3 137 
			 June 2011 101.9 83 137.0 120 132.5 122 134.7 126 131.5 117 141.6 136 
			 July 2011 98.4 79 133.5 120 130.0 120 129.3 119 124.2 111 138.4 132 
			 August 2011 99.6 77 129.7 115 126.0 114 131.7 119 123.4 108 139.5 131 
			 September 2011 99.6 79 132.8 119 132.7 123 132.5 119 131.9 117 143.9 138 
			 October 2011 99.9 79 134.3 121 134.9 125 132.1 119 134.2 118 145.1 137 
			 November 2011 99.8 78 134.6 122 132.4 122 128.4 115 135.2 118 145.1 137 
			 December 2011 104.1 80 137.9 125 136.0 127 134.9 122 138.2 120 149.0 141 
			 January 2012 101.4 79 137.3 123 135.5 125 136.2 120 140.9 121 151.5 140 
			 February 2012 106.0 83 141.9 128 142.7 132 140.8 126 146.4 125 154.4 145 
			 March 2012 104.9 85 134.9 124 136.4 129 137.6 126 137.0 121 146.7 141 
		
	
	
		
			  London South East Coast South Central South West England 
			 Period Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 April 2011 145.8 141 167.2 149 148.0 133 123.4 108 138.1 126 
			 May 2011 144.0 138 165.8 147 144.0 130 120.3 104 136.1 124 
			 June 2011 145.4 140 165.7 145 144.1 129 122.0 107 136.6 124 
			 July 2011 143.2 135 160.6 141 136.9 122 119.7 105 132.8 120 
			 August 2011 142.3 130 158.4 140 137.2 118 117.7 101 131.4 117 
			 September 2011 147.2 142 166.0 146 148.3 129 121.1 106 136.4 124 
			 October 2011 149.1 142 171.8 147 152.7 132 121.5 106 138.3 125 
			 November 2011 148.1 141 166.4 147 153.3 133 119.9 105 137.5 124 
			 December 2011 150.5 140 170.1 150 163.7 144 125.1 106 141.4 127 
			 January 2012 152.3 140 171.4 148 163.3 140 123.5 105 142.0 126 
			 February 2012 157.6 146 179.1 154 171.4 148 130.0 112 147.4 131 
			 March 2012 150.5 145 170.5 152 156.7 139 126.9 111 140.6 129 
			 (1 )Duration to departure: This is total amount of time spent in minutes in an A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is discharged from A&E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, dying in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged and referred to another specialist department. Notes: 1. Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 2. This data indicates the SHA area within which the organisation providing treatment was located. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Air Pollution

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the public health effect of removing obligations on local authorities to monitor air quality in their area.

Dan Rogerson: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	The Government has not carried out such an assessment. A recent consultation sought views on options to improve the delivery of local air quality management duties by local authorities, and a summary of responses to that consultation will be published by the end of the year.

Ambulance Services: West Midlands

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified ambulance staff were employed by the NHS in the West Midlands in (a) the latest period for which figures are available and (b) May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: Information on the number of qualified ambulance staff in the West Midlands Health Education England (HEE) area at 31 July 2013 and 31 May 2010 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent 
			  May 2010 July 2013 
			 All qualified ambulance staff 1,707 2,064 
			    
			 Manager 50 38 
			 Emergency Care Practitioner 45 39 
			 Ambulance Paramedic 1,125 1,421 
			 Ambulance Technician 487 566 
			 Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. West Midlands organisations for May 2010 have been mapped to the new HEE area boundary that was introduced in April 2013, to ensure a consistent timeseries. 3. Monthly data: As from 21 July 2010 the HSCIC has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data is not directly comparable with the annual workforce census; it only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record (ie it does not include Primary care staff or Bank staff). Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), Provisional NHS Hospital and Community Health Service Monthly Workforce Statistics.

Cancer

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the effect on cancer services in England is of Welsh-registered patients seeking access to those cancer medicines not approved in Wales by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence or the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Information on cancer medicines accessed in England by Welsh-registered patients is not collected centrally.

Care Quality Commission

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Care Quality Commission has spent on consultancy services in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date. [Official Report, 5 December 2013, Vol. 571, c. 15MC.]

Norman Lamb: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has provided the following information:
	
		
			 The CQC's expenditure on consultancy services 
			  Amount (£ million) 
			 2010-11 1,832 
			 2011-12 0.071 
			 2012-13 1,752 
			 2013-14(1) 1,959 
			 (1) Up to and including 30 September 2013. Source. The CQC annual accounts, reports and monthly Department of consultancy returns. Definitions of ‘consultancy’ were taken from the Cabinet Office's Guidance on Actions and Processes.

Cervical Cancer

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of uptake rates for cervical cancer screening in England; and what steps he is taking to improve uptake amongst younger age groups.

Jane Ellison: Information is not available on the number of women who have taken up an invitation for cervical screening (uptake). However, information is available on coverage. Coverage is the percentage of women in a population who were eligible for screening at a particular point in time and who were screened adequately within a specified period.
	As the frequency with which women are invited for screening is dependent on age, coverage is calculated differently for different age groups. For those aged 25 to 49 (who are invited for routine screening every three years), coverage is calculated as the number of women in this age group who have had an adequate screening test within the last 3.5 years, as a percentage of the eligible population aged 25 to 49. For those aged 50 to 64 (who are invited for routine screening every five years) and for the total target age group (aged 25 to 64), coverage is calculated as the number of women who have had an adequate screening test within the last five years, as a percentage of the eligible population.
	The following table shows coverage for women aged 25 to 64 by age group, as at 31 March 2012 and 2013.
	
		
			 Coverage for women aged 25 to 64 by age group, England, 2012 and 2013, as at 31 March 
			 Percentage 
			 Age group 2012 2013 
			 Ages to be screened with 3.5 years   
			 25 to 64 78.6 78.3 
			 25 to 49 73.5 71.5 
			 25 to 29 63.0 62.0 
			 30 to 34 72.7 70.6 
			 35 to 39 76.1 73.7 
			 40 to 44 78.1 75.8 
			 45 to 49 78.3 76.2 
			    
			 Ages to be screened within five years   
			 50 to 64 77.8 77.5 
			 50 to 54 82.8 82.4 
			 55 to 59 76.6 75.9 
			 60 to 64 72.7 72.7 
			 Source: KC53 Health and Social Care Information Centre. 
		
	
	The figures from the table above are available in table 1 (Statistics on cervical cancer and the NHS Cervical Screening Programme) of the report “Cervical Screening Programme, England 2012-13”. The full report is available on the Health and Social Care Information Centre website at:
	www.hscic.gov.uk/searchcatalogue?productid=12601&q=title%3a+ cervical+screening+programme&sort=Relevance&size= 10&page=1#top
	There is a lack of published evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase cervical screening attendance among women aged under 35. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme has commissioned a £1 million study to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake among women who are receiving their first invitation from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme at around age 25. The “Strategies to increase cervical screening uptake at first invitation” (STRATEGIC), study is trialling interventions such as: a pre-invitation leaflet; internet appointment booking; timed appointments; the provision of personal support through nurse navigators; and human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling. The study began in November 2011 and is due to run until October 2015.

Children: Smoking

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of children who routinely smoke cigarettes in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Hendon constituency.

Jane Ellison: Information is not available in the format requested. Information on children (11-15) in England is available for 1982-2012. Information by England region is available for 2011-12, 2010-11 and 2006-08 combined.
	Information is also available on smoking by children (8-15) in England for 1997-2011 at the following:
	Table 2.1a of the ‘Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2012’ provides information on pupils aged (11-15) smoking behaviour (including 'regular smoker' and ‘ever smoked’, by sex for England: 1982-2000. Table 2.1b shows the same information for the period 2001-12.
	Tables 6.1 and 6.2 of the ‘Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2012’ provide information on the proportion of pupils who have ever smoked, by region and sex: 2011-12 and prevalence of regular smoking, by region and sex: 2011-12.
	Tables 6.1 and 6.2 of the ‘Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2011’ provide information on the proportion of pupils who have ever smoked, by region and sex: 2010-11 and prevalence of regular smoking, by region and sex: 2010-11.
	Tables 1 and 2 of the ‘Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England, findings by region 2006 to 2008’ provide information on the proportions of young people (11-15) who have ever smoked, by Government Office Region and sex: 2006-08 combined and prevalence of regular smoking, by Government Office Region and sex: 2006-08 combined.
	Table 5 of the 'Health Survey for England—2011: Children trend tables' provides information on Children aged (8-15) self-reported cigarette smoking status, by survey year, age and sex in England, 1997-2011. Note, this shows data for those who have ‘ever smoked’.
	Copies of these publications have already been placed in the Library and are available from the following links:
	Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2012:
	www.hscic.gov.uk/searchcatalogue?productid=12096&.q= title%3a%22Smoking%2c+Drinking+and+Drug+Use+Among +Young+People+in+England%22&sort=Relevance&size=10&page =l#top
	Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2011:
	www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-Search?productid= 7911&q=Smoking%2c+Drinking+and+Drug+Use+Among+ Young+People+&sort=Relevance&size=10&page=l&area=both#top
	Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England, findings by region 2006 to 2008:
	www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-Search?productid=1321&q=SDD+findings+by +region&sort=Relevance8isize=108ipage=l&area=both#top
	Health Survey for England—2011, Trend tables:
	www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB09302

Commissioning Support Units

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much commissioning support units spent on consultancy services in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14 to date;
	(2)  how many commissioning support units there are; and what the current (a) budget, (b) number of staff employed and (c) budget for staff salaries is for each such unit.

Jane Ellison: In June 2011, the Department agreed that NHS England (the NHS Commissioning Board at the time) would temporarily host commissioning support units (CSUs) for no more than three years (from April 2013-2016) while they undergo further transition and development so that they are as competitive as possible when they move to independent forms within a more plural market.
	There are 18 NHS commissioning support units (CSUs), hosted by NHS England providing a range of professional bespoke and at scale commissioning support to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and other customers. They employ 8,447 staff and generate a total income of £719 million, £605.million of which comes from CCGs.
	CSUs are due to move to more autonomous forms by April 2016 and are already actively competing in market where CCGs and other commissioners have choice over where to source their support services. NHS England therefore advises that releasing information on individual staff costs could jeopardise CSUs commercial position and give potential competitors an advantage when competing for work.
	The following table indicates headcount and whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff for each CSU. These figures have been supplied by NHS England.
	
		
			 Commissioning support unit Headcount WTE 
			 Anglia 200 186.2 
			 Arden 300 267.3 
			 Central Eastern 680 625.2 
		
	
	
		
			 Central Midlands 440 247.6 
			 Central Southern 491 443.8 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 615 564 
			 Greater East Midlands 853 768.9 
			 Greater Manchester 476 459 
			 Staffordshire and Lancashire 725 659.9 
			 Kent and Medway 358 239.3 
			 North East London 605 595 
			 North of England 707 649 
			 North West London 323 296.9 
			 North Yorkshire 394 361 
			 South 253 239.9 
			 South London 372 359.5 
			 South West 310 286 
			 Surrey and Sussex (disbanded from end October and staff being transitioned to alternative suppliers) 298 281.7 
			 West and South Yorkshire 697 639.3 
			 Total 9,097 8,169.5 
		
	
	The total CSU consultancy spend was £10 million from April 2013 to September 2013. This is the only period which NHS England has data for.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts.

Daniel Poulter: All civil servants employed by the Department are paid at rates for which the hourly equivalent is greater than the living wage rates defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
	Contracted workers in the Department engaged as agency workers via the Department's current Hays Master Vendor Agreement are entitled to treatment in respect to basic terms and conditions—working time, holiday entitlement, pay—after a 12 week qualifying period under the Agency Workers Regulations.
	No civil servants are employed by the Department on zero hours contracts.
	The rates in the agreement with the Department's Master Vendor, Hays, for new starting agency workers are at the living wage rates which have been in place from November 2012. These will be uprated to the new living wage rate from November 2013.
	The Department does not hold centrally the information requested about its arm's length bodies, so this was sought from the arm's length bodies. Information provided as at 31 October 2013 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of employees 
			 Employees paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage 585 
			 Contracted workers paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage 72 
			 Employees on zero hours contracts 89

Continuing Care

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that individuals who develop long-term conditions will be able to access insurance products to cover the sum of the social care cap.

Norman Lamb: We believe, as did the independent Dilnot Commission, that the funding reforms for care and support services creates an opportunity for the development of more financial products, such as insurance policies, to help people pay for their care. These are products that can only be developed by the financial services industry and we have been working with them to help understand what products could be developed and how Government could help create the right conditions for them to develop.

Doctors: West Midlands

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital and community health service doctors were employed by the NHS in the West Midlands in (a) the latest period for which figures are available and (b) 2010.

Daniel Poulter: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on the number of medical and dental staff in the West Midlands Health Education England (HEE) area at 31 July 2013 and 31 May 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Full-time equivalent 
			  May 2010 July 2013 
			 NHS hospital and community health service medical and dental staff 9,365 10,069 
			    
			 Consultants (including directors of public health) 3,539 3,939 
			 Registrars 3,215 3,315 
			 Other doctors in training 1,360 1,530 
			 Hospital practitioners and clinical assistants 78 46 
			 Other medical and dental staff 1,173 1,238 
			 Notes: 1. West Midlands organisations for May 2010 have been mapped to the new HEE area boundary that was introduced in April 2013, to ensure a consistent time series. 2. Monthly data: from 21 July 2010 the HSCIC has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data is not directly comparable with the annual workforce census; it only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record (i.e. it does not include primary care staff or bank staff). Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSQC), Provisional NHS Hospital and Community Health Service monthly workforce statistics.

Fracking

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the report published by Public Health England on 31 October 2013, what steps he plans to take to mitigate the hazards to health of householders from exposure to radon gas transported to homes in methane gas streams obtained from the hydraulic fracturing of shale reserves.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) has identified that radon may be present in natural gas obtained by hydraulic fracturing of shale reserves, as is the case for natural gas derived from some other sources. Further information can be found at:
	www.gov.uk/government/news/shale-gas-extraction-emissions-are-a-low-risk-to-public-health
	Radon in domestic gas supply has been assessed previously for its radiological significance in relation to natural gas from the North sea and it leads to domestic gas customers receiving very small radiation exposures, compared with other naturally occurring radiation.
	Measurements from the United States of America of radon in shale gas methane suggest that the concentrations are similar to those found in natural gas from other sources, and that radiation exposure to domestic gas users from this source will also be very low.
	Radiation exposures received by domestic gas consumers are related to the concentration of radon in gas delivered to homes. This will be lower than the initial well-head concentration because of radioactive decay of radon during transit or storage, which is assessed in relation to the 3.8 day radioactive half-life of the relevant radon isotope, and of dilution of radon resulting from blending and mixing of methane from different sources.
	PHE has recommended that it will be appropriate to determine the initial radon concentrations in natural gas from shale sources in the United Kingdom.
	PHE has further recommended that the existing radiological assessment, of radon in natural gas, should be reviewed using measurements of radon in UK shale gas together with assessment parameters that reflect the processing and transport network that will apply to UK shale gas methane.
	The Government is considering PHE's recommendations and will respond in due course.

Health

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in his Department have been (a) seconded and (b) hired from organisations that have signed up to responsibility deal pledges.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not hold information centrally about the organisations from which it seconds or hires individuals. Gathering that information could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Health Services: Hearing Impairment

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when his Department will begin monitoring outcomes from adult hearing services delivered through the Any Qualified Provider model as part of a long-term evaluation of the policy; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent evaluation his Department has made of the Any Qualified Provider model for delivering adult hearing services; and if he will publish any such evaluation.

Norman Lamb: The Department has no plans to begin such monitoring. It is the responsibility of commissioners to monitor the outcomes being delivered for their local populations as a result of the contracts for NHS services that they have entered into with providers, including those contracts awarded through an ‘any qualified provider’ (AQP) process.
	An initial survey on the implementation of AQP in audiology services was commissioned by Professor Sue Hill, currently the Chief Scientific Officer at NHS England, and is in the process of being finalised.
	A wider evaluation of any AQP programme is planned as part of the Department's Health Reform Evaluation Programme.

Health Services: Hearing Impairment

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the compatibility of the services provided by the NHS with the Prague Declaration signed by the National Association of Deafened People; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: NHS England advises that:
	NHS England supports the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which the Prague Declaration refers.
	NHS England agrees that people who are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or otherwise affected by hearing loss should be able to participate fully in society, and should be able to access information in a format appropriate for them, and any communication support that they need.
	NHS England recognises the duties placed upon all providers of services and on public sector bodies by the Equality Act 2010, and seeks to provide advice and guidance to NHS bodies and providers of NHS services in this regard.

Health Services: Males

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health following the recent issue of commissioning guidance to local authorities, where responsibility lies for commissioning (a) the treatment of erectile dysfunction, (b) the treatment of testosterone deficiency syndrome and (c) other health services for men.

Jane Ellison: In most cases the commissioning responsibility for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the treatment of testosterone deficiency syndrome and other health services for men lies with clinical commissioning groups. However, in circumstances where erectile dysfunction and testosterone deficiency are a direct result of a rare and/or complex condition classified under specialised commissioning, then the commissioning responsibility for erectile dysfunction and testosterone deficiency syndrome would fall to NHS England.

Health Services: Merseyside

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to establish an NHS England unit to reflect the six local authorities of the Merseyside city region.

Jane Ellison: The structure of area teams is a matter for NHS England. Currently, the Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral Area Team covers Wirral local authority and the Merseyside Area Team covers Sefton, Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton. NHS England has advised that there are no current plans to change the existing area team structure in the region.

Health Services: Worcestershire

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the reconfiguration of health services in Worcestershire and any effects on Alexandra Hospital, Redditch.

Jane Ellison: The reconfiguration of local health services is a matter for the local national health service. Commissioners in Worcestershire are currently working with local providers and stakeholders to develop proposals for the future provision of acute services across the county, including Alexandra hospital, which will be subject to public consultation.

Health Services: Young Offender Institutions

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health providers provide services in young offender institutions.

Norman Lamb: Young offenders who are aged between 15 and 21 years may be detained in young offender institutions (YOIs) or, if aged over 18 years, in young offender wings within adult prisons. All female young offenders are detained within young offender wings in women's prisons.
	Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has commissioned health services for people in prison or other secure accommodation in England. Health services in YOIs, publicly-run prisons and contracted prisons are provided by either national health service, private or voluntary sector organisations with the current health care providers for each establishment housing young offenders shown in the following table.
	Many current health provider contracts were established prior to NHS England acquiring its commissioning role. NHS England is re-tendering contracts as they expire and has advised that current providers are subject to change after April 2014.
	
		
			 Young offenders/male and female aged 15-21 detained in YOIs or young offender wings in prisons in England: Main healthcare providers November 2013 
			 Name of institution Healthcare providers 
			 YOIs or adult male prisons detaining male young offenders aged 15-21 in young offender wings  
			 Altcourse (contracted prison) Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust 
			 Aylesbury Care UK 
			 Brinsford (1) South Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Partnerships NHS Trust (2) South Staffs and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Cookham Wood HM Prison Service 
			 Deerbolt (1) Care UK (2) Tees, Esk and Wear Valley Mental Health Trust 
			 Feltham (1) Central North West London NHS Trust (2) Care UK 
			 Forest Bank (contracted prison) (1) Cimmaron (2) Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Glen Parva Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust 
			 Hatfield Nottinghamshire NHS Trust 
			 Hindley (1) Bridgewater Community Healthcare (2) Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Trust 
			 Isis Harmoni 
			 Lancaster Farms Lancashire Care Foundation Trust 
			 Northallerton NHS North Yorkshire and York 
			 Norwich (1) Serco Health (2) Horizon Health 
			 Portland Dorset Healthcare NHS University Trust 
			 Reading Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust 
			 Rochester NHS Medway 
			 Stoke Heath (1) Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (2) South Staffordshire and Shropshire Foundation NHS Trust 
			 Swinfen Hall South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Thorn Cross Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Warren Hill (will fully close by March 2014) Care UK 
			 Werrington North Staffordshire Community Healthcare 
			 Wetherby Leeds Community Health Care 
			   
			 Female prisons detaining female young offenders aged 15-21 in young offender wings  
			 Askham Grange (1) Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (2) NHS North Yorkshire and York 
			 Bronzefield (1) Sodexo Justice Services (2) Boots UK (3) Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (4) Medacs Healthcare 
			 Downview NHS Surrey 
			 Drake Hall (1) Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust (2) South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust 
			 East Sutton Park Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Eastwood Park (1) Bristol Community Health (2) North Bristol NHS Trust CAMHS (3) Hanham Health (4) Serco Health 
			 Foston Hall Derbyshire Health United 
			 Holloway Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Low Newton Care UK 
			 New Hall (1) Spectrum (2) Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (3) Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Send Surrey Community Health 
		
	
	
		
			 Styal East Cheshire NHS Trust 
			 Source: NHS England and HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

Health Visitors: West Midlands

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified health visitors there were in the West Midlands in (a) the latest reported period and (b) May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: Information on the number of health visitors in the West Midlands Health Education England (HEE) area at 31 July 2013 and 31 May 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Full time equivalent 
			  May 2010 July 2013 
			 Health visitors 870 967 
			 Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. West Midlands organisations for May 2010 have been mapped to the new HEE area boundary that was introduced in April 2013, to ensure a consistent time series. 3. Monthly data: from 21 July 2010 the HSCIC has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data is not directly comparable with the annual workforce census; it only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record (i.e. it does not include primary care staff or bank staff). Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), Provisional NHS Hospital and Community Health Service monthly workforce statistics.

Health: Finance

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will announce his decision on public health funding allocations for local authorities NHS England and clinical commissioning groups; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: A two-year local authority public health allocation was announced on 10 January 2013 for 2013-14 and 2014-15 to support local authorities in carrying out their new public health functions.
	Responsibility for resource allocation to clinical commissioning groups is now a matter for NHS England as set out in ‘The Mandate’. NHS England has been conducting a fundamental review into its approach to allocations with the aim of having initial conclusions ready in time to inform 2014-15 allocations. It is anticipated that NHS England will be in a position to announce these in late December 2013.

Health: Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health on 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 476, on standardised tobacco packaging, which risk behaviours the dedicated youth marketing programme will be aimed at discouraging.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England has adopted a holistic approach for its Youth Marketing Programme, moving from tackling single issues to taking a life-stage approach. The programme focuses on building young people’s resilience, and challenging specific risky behaviour which impacts on their development, health and well-being. Topics addressed include smoking, substance misuse, alcohol and sex and relationships.
	In addition, the programme addresses issues such as bullying, exam pressure, self-harm and body confidence that has been shown to affect the physical and mental well-being of young people. Over time, it is likely that a broader range of health issues including diet and physical exercise will be covered by the programme.

Health: Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health of 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 476, on dedicated youth marketing programme, how much his Department has spent on public health marketing in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison: The media and public relations (PR) spend on public health campaigns for the Department since 2010 is shown in the following tables.
	On 1 April 2013 responsibility for public health marketing transferred to Public Health England. “Public Health England Marketing Plan 2013-14” was published on 15 April 2013 and contains their spending plans for that financial year. The “Public Health England Marketing Plan 2013-14” indicates an allocation of £54.7 million for public health marketing. The plan can be accessed at:
	www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/186957/PHE_Marketing_Plan_2013-14_1651.pdf
	
		
			 Table 1: Media spend on public health campaigns since 2010 
			 £ million 
			  Media Spend 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Obesity/Change4Life 16.16 1.32 2.07 3.56 
			 Alcohol(1) 4.65 — 0.98 1.84 
			 5 A Day — — — — 
			 Antibiotics — — — — 
			 Children's Health/Pregnancy — 0.40 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Cancer—Bowel — 0.55 3.17 1.73 
			 Cancer—Lung — — 0.59 2.87 
			 Cancer—Breast Older Women — — — 0.50 
			 Cancer—Bladder/Kidney — — — 0.31 
			 Cancer—Ovarian — — — 0.44 
			 Cancer—Key Symptoms — — — 0.61 
			 Child Immunisation — — — — 
			 Dementia — — 1.63 — 
			 Drugs Advertising and FRANK (Share with Home Office) 1.66 — — — 
			 Flu Immunisation 0.81 — — — 
			 Hepatitis C 1.39 — — — 
			 HPV Vaccination 4.07 — — — 
			 National Dementia Strategy 1.67 0.59 — — 
			 NHS 111 — — — — 
			 Maternal and Infant Nutrition/Breastfeeding — — — — 
			 Mental Health — — — — 
			 Pandemic Flu 11.24 — — — 
			 Respiratory and Hand Hygiene 2.63 0.80 — — 
			 Sexual Health Awareness 8.16 — — — 
			 Smoking—Tobacco Control 24.91 0.46 3.16 8.21 
			 Stroke Awareness 2.45 0.54 0.80 — 
			 TB Awareness — — — — 
			 Total Media Spend 79.80 4.66 12.40 20.07 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Public relations spend on public health campaigns since 2010 
			  PR Spend (£ million) 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Unified spend across all campaigns — — — 1.20 
			 Obesity/Change4Life 0.67 0.55 1.00 — 
			 Alcohol(1) 0.34 0.04 — — 
			 5 A Day — — — — 
			 Antibiotics — — — — 
			 Children's Health/Pregnancy — — — — 
			 Cancer—Bowel — — 0.07 — 
			 Cancer—Lung — — 0.05 — 
			 Child Immunisation — — — — 
			 Dementia — — — — 
			 Drugs Advertising and FRANK (Share with Home Office) 0.22 0.02 — 0.02 
			 Flu Immunisation — — — — 
			 Hepatitis C — — — — 
			 HPV Vaccination — — — — 
			 National Dementia Strategy — — — — 
			 NHS 111 — — — — 
			 Maternal and Infant Nutrition/Breastfeeding — — — — 
			 Mental Health — — — — 
			 Pandemic Flu — — — — 
			 Respiratory and Hand Hygiene — — — — 
			 Sexual Health Awareness — — — — 
			 Smoking—Tobacco Control — — — — 
			 Stroke Awareness — — — — 
			 TB Awareness — — — — 
			 Total PR Spend 2.29 0.62 1.29 1.22 
			 (1 )Although listed separately, in 2011-12 Alcohol was incorporated into the Change4Life campaign. Notes: 1. Figures are net plus agency fees (i.e. fees and expenses to cover time worked by agency staff and costs incurred during the work) and commissions (rounded to nearest £10,000). Figures exclude value added tax (VAT). 2. Spend between 2003-04 to 2008-09 were by several agencies on the Department's own PR framework and Centre of Information's PR framework. However, it is not possible to extract a more detailed breakdown from the Department's financial reporting system. 3. PR companies are employed to support a very wide range of marketing and policy initiatives including our major public health behaviour change programmes (such as tobacco control, sexual health, obesity prevention and drug and alcohol harm reduction programmes). 4. In addition to providing specialist knowledge of a wide range of media through which the Department needs to communicate with specific target audiences, they also provide extensive creative input to communications programmes. 5. The work commissioned through PR companies includes a wide range of marketing activity including: advertorials, newsletter production, conference and event management, research, creation of content and photography and stakeholder relations activity.

Healthwatch England

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current (a) budget, (b) number of staff employed and (c) budget for staff salaries is for Healthwatch England.

Norman Lamb: The information requested is as follows:
	2013-14 budget: £3,825,000
	Staff employed: 25
	Budget for staff salaries 2013-14: £1,679,018.

HIV Infection

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of HIV screening rates in the last three years; and what steps he is taking to encourage greater uptake.

Jane Ellison: Reducing late diagnosis of HIV is an indicator in the public health outcomes framework. Increasing access to HIV testing is crucial to make progress on this indicator. Public Health England closely monitors HIV testing rates in genito-urinary Medicine (GUM) and antenatal services (as part of the antenatal screening programme), where the majority of HIV tests in England are performed.
	The estimated uptake of HIV testing in 2012 in GUM was 81% and 98% in antenatal services. Number of individuals tested and estimated uptake from 2010 to 2012 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of individuals tested for HIV and HIV test uptake in GUM and antenatal services, 2010-12 
			  GUM clinics Antenatal services 
			  Number of individuals tested Percentage uptake Number of individuals tested Percentage uptake 
			 2012 902,609 83 684,566 98 
			 2011 859,902 83 684,510 97 
			 2010 795,254 81 705,825 96 
		
	
	The first national HIV testing week ran in 2012 in England. Over 50 organisations delivered support, events or testing sessions, 3,500 posters promoting the benefits of testing were distributed and over 110 news items appeared in the media.
	National HIV testing week 2013 will take place from 22 to 29 November 2013 and is running as part of a pan-European initiative. In England, this is led by the Terrence Higgins Trust as part of the HIV Prevention England programme that the Department funds. It has the aim to raise awareness about the importance of increasing HIV testing and increase the proportion of people who are aware of their HIV status and reduce late HIV diagnosis.
	In 2013, National HIV testing week campaign activity will centre on the ongoing “It Starts With Me” campaign, which launched last year. A range of local delivery partners across the country have signed up to support the campaign.
	HIV screening should be offered at a woman’s first antenatal visit. Some women choose to decline this offer of screening. The programme therefore re-offers antenatal screening at 28 weeks gestation, emphasising the benefits of early detection and treatment for both the mother and unborn baby, which will help to increase levels of uptake.

Hyperactivity

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder over the last 20 years.

Norman Lamb: The Department has made no such assessment. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines, ‘Attention deficit hyperactive disorder: Diagnosis and management of ADHD in children, young people and adults’, published in 2008 state that around 1-2% of children and young people in the United Kingdom meet the criteria for severe ADHD, up to 9% may meet the broader criteria for mild or moderate ADHD and 2% of adults worldwide.
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey ‘Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004’ (ONS 2005) suggest that around 1.5% of children have Hyperkinetic Disorder, which is a term used by the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) to refer to the more severe form of ADHD.
	‘Adult psychiatric morbidity in England, 2007, Results of a household survey’ found the overall proportion of adults scoring four or more (the threshold at which clinical assessment for ADHD is warranted on the Adult Self-Report Scale-v(ASRS)) was 8.2%.

Malnutrition: Children

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in (a) Bristol and (b) the UK have been treated for malnutrition in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the number of children in (i) Bristol and (ii) the UK suffering from malnutrition.

Norman Lamb: Information is not available in the format requested. The following table has the number of finished hospital episodes where the primary or secondary diagnosis was malnutrition.
	
		
			 Count of finished admission episodes for children with a primary or secondary diagnosis of malnutrition by primary care trust (PCT) of responsibility for the years 2008-09 to 2012-13 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 England 201 174 222 197 205 
			 Bristol PCT — — — * * 
		
	
	
		
			 Not resident in England * * 6 * * 
			 Notes: 1. A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period. 2. The number of episodes are where the diagnosis of malnutrition was recorded as one of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and 7 prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnoses in a Hospital Episode Statistic (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. 3. To protect patient confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been replaced with an asterisk. Where it was still possible to identify figures from the total, additional figures have also been replaced with an asterisk. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Mental Health Services

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2013, Official Report, columns 442-43W, on mental health services, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in data collection on the number of people recorded as waiting over 28 days for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies between Quarter 3 2008-09 and Quarter 1 2013-14.

Norman Lamb: The number of people waiting more than 28 days for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services has increased since quarter 3, 2008-09. We believe this reflects the increase in the number of IAPT services, demand for them and the overall number of people accessing services. The IAPT programme has monitored waiting times since roll-out of its first wave sites in 2008. Measurement of waiting times is complicated by various factors, including local processes, information technology system capabilities and patient choice.
	IAPT has refined the measurement of waiting times as processes and systems for collecting data have become embedded in services. This is reflected in IAPT guidance over recent years in an attempt to improve accuracy and consistent measurement across services. For this reason the figures from 2008 cannot be viewed as a complete time series as definitions have changed over this period. The present data collection process ensures that more detailed information than previously is collected and published on waiting times.

Mental Health: Young People

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effect of modern technology and digital media on levels of mental health in children and adolescents.

Norman Lamb: The Department has made no such assessment.
	I convened a meeting on 31 January 2013 bringing together internet security companies, charities and Departments to explore how to protect children and young people from harmful internet content related to suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. I urged the security companies to work collaboratively with interest groups and internet service providers to sign up to a concordat that would help to speed up the process for reporting harmful content and the blocking of harmful websites by parental controls. The companies gave me positive assurances that they would explore such a concordat.
	I am working with companies and voluntary sector organisations to secure this concordat. The UK Council for Child Internet Safety is already making parental controls more accessible so that children can access less harmful content, such as pro-anorexia content.

Midwives: West Midlands

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified midwives were employed by the NHS in the West Midlands in (a) the latest period for which figures are available and (b) May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: Information on the number of registered midwives in the West Midlands Health Education England (HEE) area at 31 July 2013 and 31 May 2010 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent 
			  May 2010 July 2013 
			 Registered midwives 2,274 2,419 
			 Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. West Midlands organisations for May 2010 have been mapped to the new HEE area boundary that was introduced in April 2013, to ensure a consistent timeseries. 3. Monthly data: from 21 July 2010 the HSCIC has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data is not directly comparable with the annual workforce census; it only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record (ie it does not include Primary care staff or Bank staff). Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), Provisional NHS Hospital and Community Health Service Monthly Workforce Statistics.

Newham University Hospital

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to monitor the extent to which the planned benefits for Newham University Hospital of the merger into Barts Health Trust are being realised; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: This is a matter for the local commissioners of NHS services from Newham University Hospital. It is for local commissioners to ensure high quality services are being delivered to their patients.
	As part of the review of the merger proposal, commissioners and the merging parties agreed to put in place arrangements to monitor the realisation of the planned benefits and the Newham University Hospital's performance against quality indicators. Monitor is in correspondence with local commissioners about reporting arrangements.

NHS England

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much was spent on consultancy services by NHS England local area teams in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14;
	(2)  how many NHS England local area teams there are; and what the (a) total budget, (b) number of staff employed and (c) budget for staff salaries is for each such team.

Daniel Poulter: There are 24 NHS England Area Teams. These are not the same as Regional Teams.
	The total budget for the Area Teams (pay and non-pay) is £229,958,766.
	The number of staff employed (as at month 7, contracted) is 3,432.38 full time equivalent (FTE).
	The pay budget is £168,061,103.
	The breakdown for each area team is in the following table:
	
		
			 Area Team Staff (contracted FTE) Pay budget (£) Budget (pay and non-pay) (£) 
			 Bristol North Somerset Somerset and South Gloucestershire 159.47 7,976,737 10,410,485 
			 Wessex 198.08 8,765,505 11,858,137 
			 Kent and Medway 132.27 6,619,038 8,092,002 
			 Bath Gloucestershire Swindon and Wiltshire 66.33 4,316,603 6,693,384 
			 Surrey and Sussex 257.45 11,043,918 12,492,215 
			 Devon Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 58.43 4,228,545 6,493,846 
			 Thames Valley 153.39 8,524,056 10,831,258 
			 Cheshire Warrington and Wirral 117.59 6,519,959 8,055,797 
			 Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear 109.46 6,555,266 12,496,623 
			 Durham Darlington and Tees 204.5 5,892,257 8,182,118 
			 Greater Manchester 168.8 6,757,567 11,773,465 
			 Lancashire 250.74 9,120,112 8,379,341 
			 Merseyside 166.14 7,215,640 9,034,674 
			 North Yorkshire and Humber 134.19 6,173,390 7,672,706 
			 South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw 134.97 7,250,592 9,315,784 
			 West Yorkshire 159.78 7,490,019 9,787,543 
			 Arden Herefordshire and Worcestershire 107.7 5,753,482 7,468,322 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 193.17 9,467,708 12,126,435 
			 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 91.06 5,675,128 8,399,280 
			 East Anglia 115.32 7,329,547 12,184,355 
			 Essex 87.36 5,194,418 7,509,470 
			 Hertfordshire and the South Midlands 123.89 6,871,127 ,10,745,594 
			 Leicestershire and Lincolnshire 127.02 7,480,119 12,213,089 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 115.27 5,840,370 7,742,843 
			 Total 3,432.38 168,061,103 229,958,766 
		
	
	Nothing was spent on consultancy services by NHS England Area Teams in 2012-13, as NHS England only took on its full functions in April 2013. NHS England has informed us that £380,400 was spent in 2013-14 as at 31 October 2013.
	
		
			 Organisation Description Expenditure April to October 2013 (£) 
			 Deloitte MCS Ltd Supporting the development of NHS 111 162,000 
			  Other Services Rendered 218,400 
			  Total 380,400

NHS Property Services

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2013, Official Report, column 380W, on NHS Property Services, (a) what the appointment procedure was and (b) what external scrutiny took place when the current shareholder representative on the board of NHS Property Services was appointed as a non-executive director;
	(2)  who the current shareholder representative on the board of NHS Property Services is and what salary they receive for that position; and what their current position within the Department of Health is and what salary they receive for that position;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2013, Official Report, column 379W, on NHS Property Services, who the senior responsible officer for the PCT Estates Programme is; and what salary they receive for that position.

Daniel Poulter: A shareholder representative is appointed to all Department of Health-owned limited companies to ensure the priorities and policy direction set by the Secretary of State for Health is adhered to. Following ministerial approval to form NHS Property Services Limited (NHS PS), the Commercial Director at the Department was appointed to act as one of the first directors (and thereby the shareholder representative) of the company—as is consistent with his role and responsibilities at the Department.
	The shareholder representative does not receive a salary or expenses from the company for this position. The salary for their role as Commercial Director for the is published on the data.gov.uk website as part of the Government's transparency agenda.
	The Department established the PCT Estates Programme to manage and identify emerging associated with the transfer of property and staff from primary care trusts and strategic health authorities into NHS PS. This programme came to an end on 31 March 2013.
	The Senior Responsible Officer for the PCT Estates Programme was the Director General for Finance and NHS at the Department. The responsibility for running this programme was part of his role and did not attract separate remuneration.

NHS Property Services

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2013, Official Report, column 379W, on NHS Property Services, whether the individual who was senior responsible officer for the PCT Estates Programme on 6 December 2012 was at any time (a) a non-executive director and (b) an executive director of NHS Property Services; what procedure any appointment followed; and what their salary is or was.

Daniel Poulter: The Senior Responsible Officer for the PCT Estates Programme has never been a director or non-executive director of NHS Property Services Ltd. The responsibility for running this programme was part of his role and did not attract separate remuneration.

NHS: Commissioning Support Units

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) former NHS staff and (b) staff hired from outside the NHS work in NHS Commissioning support units.

Daniel Poulter: NHS England has advised that the vast majority of Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) staff are NHS staff and have therefore previously worked for other NHS organisations (e.g. hospital trusts, community services and primary care trusts). Many of these staff have transferred into the CSU, maintaining their continuity of service. There are 8,447 staff currently employed through CSUs.
	A relatively small proportion of staff employed in CSUs have been employed from outside agencies. The majority of these staff have been employed for their commercial experience and specialist expertise in order to improve the business acumen of the CSUs and to support the delivery of high quality commissioning support services to clinical, commissioners, including clinical commissioning groups and NHS England. Without interrogating all staff records it is not possible to provide exact figures for the information requested.

Obesity: Children

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the levels of child obesity in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Hendon constituency.

Jane Ellison: Data from the National Child Measurement Programme combined over three years from 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 shows the following estimate of child obesity in England, London and Hendon:
	
		
			 Reception year (age four to five years) 
			 Area Percentage obese 
			 England 9.58 
			 London 11.2 
			 Hendon 11.6 
		
	
	
		
			 Year 6 (age 10 to 11 years) 
			 Area Percentage obese 
			 England 18.99 
			 London 22.1 
			 Hendon 21.0

Patient Choice Schemes

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS outpatient appointments were made through Choose and Book in each quarter between 2010 and 2013.

Daniel Poulter: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Quarterly Utilisation from 2010-13 
			  Quarter Utilisation (percentage) 
			 2010 Q1 57 
			  Q2 54 
			  Q3 52 
			  Q4 50 
			    
			 2011 Q1 52 
			  Q2 50 
			  Q3 50 
			  Q4 49 
			    
			 2012 Q1 49 
			  Q2 49 
			  Q3 50 
			  Q4 49 
			    
			 2013 Q1 50 
			  Q2 52 
			  Q3 (1)52 
			 (1) July, August. 
		
	
	Utilisation is calculated as the percentage of referrals made to first consultant-led out-patient services using Choose and Book.

Pharmacy

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect a pharmacy-led national minor ailments scheme would have on the number of people attending accident and emergency services with minor ailments; what consideration he has given to the creation of such a scheme; what assessment he has made of the minor ailments schemes currently run by pharmacies; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Norman Lamb: NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of pharmaceutical services and can commission minor ailment services from community pharmacies as an enhanced service. Clinical commissioning groups can also commission minor ailment services. Both will do so according to local need.
	NHS England is undertaking an urgent and emergency care review, which acknowledges the potential of community pharmacy in reducing pressure on the national health service and envisages this being a means to facilitate a greater level of patient self-care, where clinically appropriate. The outputs of the review will form a national framework to guide commissioners in the commissioning of urgent and emergency care services.
	On 13 November, NHS England published its report, ‘Transforming urgent and emergency care services in England: Urgent and Emergency Care Review End of Phase 1 Report.’ This outlines proposals for changes to the current system of urgent and emergency care, and next steps. NHS England expect that if the full range of proposals made in the review, including those relating to community pharmacy, are implemented, then this will relieve pressure on the system as a whole—as well as its individual parts, such as accident and emergency departments. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

Smoking

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has plans to regulate and license shisha bars and cafes.

Jane Ellison: Shisha bars and cafes are already subject to existing tobacco control legislation including age of sale and smokefree legislation. The Government has no plans to introduce new legislation to regulate or licence shisha bars and cafes.

Smoking

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the health effects of shisha smoking.

Jane Ellison: According to the World Health Organisation's advisory note Waterpipe Tobacco Smoke: Health effects, research needs and recommended actions by regulators, the science base supports the following conclusions to be made about waterpipe smoking:
	Using a waterpipe to smoke tobacco poses a serious potential health hazard to smokers and others exposed to the smoke emitted. It is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking.
	A typical one-hour long waterpipe smoking session involves inhaling 100-200 times the volume of smoke inhaled with a single cigarette.
	Even after it has been passed through water, the smoke produced by a waterpipe contains high levels of toxic compounds including carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals.
	Commonly used heat sources that are applied to burn the tobacco, such as wood cinders or charcoal, are likely to increase the health risks because when such fuels are combusted they produce their own toxicants, including high levels of carbon monoxide, metals and cancer-causing chemicals.
	Pregnant women and the foetus are particularly vulnerable when exposed either actively or involuntarily to the waterpipe smoke toxicants.
	Second-hand smoke from waterpipes is a mixture of tobacco smoke in addition to smoke from the fuel and therefore poses a serious risk for non-smokers.
	There is no proof that any device or accessory can make waterpipe smoking safer.
	Sharing a waterpipe mouthpiece poses a serious risk of transmission of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and hepatitis.
	Waterpipe tobacco is often sweetened and flavoured, making it very appealing; the sweet smell and taste of the smoke may explain why some people, particularly young people who otherwise would not use tobacco, begin to use waterpipes.
	Public Health England is currently leading a project to identify the prevalence of shisha establishments across England, assess the nature of any enforcement difficulties in respect of smokefree legislation and develop a toolkit for local authorities to complement existing guidance to help them effectively tackle the challenges presented by shisha smoking in their local areas.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case.

Daniel Poulter: The Department operates or contracts for the provision of the following telephone lines with the prefix 0845:
	The Healthy Start Issuing Unit public and beneficiary helpline (0845 607 6823), which received approximately 350,000 calls in the year up to 20 October 2013 (excluding short calls which terminated once the caller had listened to automated answers to common queries, on which no information is available). There is no alternative telephone number, but the helpline is also contactable by email or post, and call backs can be requested. The cost of calls to these numbers from landlines is capped to less than 4p a minute;
	The Department's Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) branch maintains a Major Incident Line using a 0845 prefix. This line is not advertised to the general public and is only used by health responders and other departments to contact the Department's EPRR team in the event of a major incident or emergency. It has not been used over the last 12 months; and
	The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates a number of telephone lines prefixed 0845 on the Department's behalf, although these are being replaced over time by 0300 numbers. Each of the 0845 numbers now has an alternative 0300 number which callers are advised of automatically, and this number along with a BT local rate number are publicised on the NHSBSA website. The relevant telephone lines relate to Help with Health Costs; NHS pensions; bursaries for Healthcare and Social Work students; European Health Insurance Cards; NHS Prescription Services; and NHS Dental Services. Between November 2012 and October 2013 the 0845 lines still in use received a total of 1,997,421 calls. Calls to these numbers from landlines typically cost up to l0p per minute, but this can vary depending upon the provider and in some cases calls from landlines will be included in free call packages.
	The Department contracts for the provision of two telephone lines with the prefix 0844:
	The Healthy Start Reimbursement Unit (HSRU) retailer helpline number (0844 991 2222) received 12,015 calls in the 12 months up to 30 September 2013. There is no alternative telephone number, but retailers can view the status of their claims for payment online, and can also contact HSRU by email or freepost; and
	The Nursery Milk Scheme helpline number (0844 991 4444) received 16,210 calls in the 12 months up to 30 September 2013. There is no alternative telephone number, but the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit can also be contacted by email, fax and post, and child care providers can manage their claims for payment online. The cost of calls to these numbers is capped to less than 4p a minute from landlines.
	The Department does not provide or contract for the provision of any telephone lines prefixed by 0843.
	Information on any telephone lines prefixed by 0843, 0844 or 0845 separately operated by, or contracted for, by the Department's arm's length bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Thromboembolism

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will take steps to ensure that (a) medical professionals and (b) patients are aware of the benefits of all currently available anticoagulant treatments;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that patients who need anticoagulant treatment are given access to warfarin or novel oral anticoagulants;
	(3)  if he will take steps to ensure that patients are fully informed by medical professionals of all anticoagulant treatments available to them;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the use of self-monitoring technology in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: Responsibility for determining the overall national approach to improving clinical outcomes from health care services lies with NHS England.
	There are a range of anticoagulant treatments available, including Warfarin and novel anticoagulants. It is for individual clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to commission treatment and services for patients, as they are best placed to identify what is needed in their local areas.
	It is the responsibility of NHS England to support CCGs and ensure that they are safely and effectively discharging their commissioning responsibilities, and are making progress in delivering excellent outcomes for patients. This support may include providing commissioning resources, tools or guidance.
	NHS England advises that it expects practitioners to consider anticoagulant treatments in conjunction with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and to discuss treatment options with the patient before deciding on the most appropriate course of action.
	The Department has made no assessment of the use of self-monitoring technology in the national health service. Under its Diagnostics Assessment Programme, NICE is developing guidance on self-monitoring coagulometers for self-testing or self-managing coagulation status in patients with atrial fibrillation or heart valve disease for whom long-term vitamin K antagonist therapy is intended. NICE expects to issue guidance in July 2014. NHS England advises that it will then consider what action, if any, is required, taking this guidance into account.